A ray of hope in the darkness
by Different Dimension Demon
Summary: The Potters failed. Their child went missing and the world found a darkness in the corners they had not feared in the aftermath of Voldemorts failed attack on the Potter family. Just who is Amelia Jasmine Nightshade and what is the power she comes bearing as the darkness of the Tri-Wizard tournament commences that inspires hope? fem!Harry AU!
1. chapter 1

Sunlight dawned on the Nightshade manor slowly as a big cat prowled the grounds seemingly stalking something. Fur white as snow with nearly white grey marks on the ears shone like a beacon as it seemed to find what it was stalking in a favorable position and pounced. Before the big cat could make contact the prey, in this moment a rather amused looking witch, froze the feline mid-air and swatted its nose lightly with her finger. "Wrong choice of form. Too heavy and it makes too much noise. So get to making your breakfast Amelia and review which one you should've taken" she said in a teacher like scold. Stepping out of the way and unfreezing the big cat she grinned at the pout on the muzzle before the form began to shrink.

In a matter of moments a young girl of eleven stood in place of the big cat. Snow white hair with grey highlights reached the middle of her shoulder blades in a french braid, porcelain skin contrasted mismatched eyes-her left eye a bright emerald while the right was a dark blue like a raging ocean storm- and being slightly above those her age in both height and starting to develop early she was a sight to most. "Yes mother, my school letter should be coming today if you are correct no?" she asked tilting her head slightly to the side causing her bangs to obsure her right eye momentarily. It was a strange concept to her that magical schools would know when, where and who to send acceptance letters to. Her mother had tried to explain her before about enchanted objects like school ledgers that kept track of every student that passed through the school halls and how it would self update for former students who had children. It was creepy and borderline stalkerish in her opinion but the magic involved to make such an object semi-sentient did intrigue the young witch.

"At some point, yes it should." The witch ruffled her daughters hair despite the half-hearted protest. She had been poised to tell the girl to scoot to eat but the appearance of five owls flying towards them made her pause. "Hold on, it may be here already. Which is strange in and of itself."

"Should there be a five owl entourage for it as well? That would be most peculiar" Ameli said. It would indeed be the most odd thing if it was purely for one letter. "Correction" her eyes narrowed slightly "four owls and what appears to be a Gringotts falcon. Now I'm much more curious, to warrant an eagle it must be extremely important for them to send it instead of an owl." She snapped her fingers and conjured a falconers glove around her extended hand thankful her mother had taught her to harness her magic wandlessly from a young age. As soon as the falcon landed on the glove she gave it a rather light run of her hand from the top of its head down to its finely muscled chest. "Such a good bird you are" she cooed rubbing his breast feathers making the falcons chest puff up.

The older witch rolled her eyes at Amelias little spoiling of the falcon as she collected the other letters from the owls perched on the backporch railing. To call her surprised was an understatement as there was not one school acceptance but four. The first three schools almost everyone knew about, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic-this she expected as they lived in Nice-, Durmstrang Institute and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but the one that surprised her was the last letter postmarked and the paper embossed with a harp. "The Keep? They don't admit anyone but.." Dark blue eyes shot over to Amelia as she continued to praise the falcon and pet his breast feathers. "Take the letter from his leg and let him fly, you know how the goblins are about time and money" she admonished gently as the fours scattered.

Once the pair were back inside Amelia tossed the Gringotts letter addressed to her mother on the counter. Humming slightly to herself she began to work around the kitchen grabbing fresh herbs from the pots on several windowsills. "Would you prefer an omlette or perhaps fresh crepes this morning? We picked up those fresh raspberroes yesterday and I can whip up some fresh whipped cream" she said peering over towards her mother who was pouring over the Gringotts letter. "Looks like its my choice then." Retreating to her humming she picked out the necessary ingredients to put together a decent omlette and began to cook. Moving about the kitchen like an expert young chef she juggled the two pans with an ease from spending so much time with her mother in the kitchen as her humming switched out for soft whistling. Just as she plated their food she heard her mother clear her thoat making her pause with two slices of french toat between her tongs.

"You know you're adopted right." Of course Amelia knew she was adopted, she had sat the girl down last year and tild her that but that in no uncertain terms she loved Amelia as her own daughter and would always think of her as such. The nod and questioning glance prompted her to continue as the young witch continued to plate breakfast. "Gringotts has deemed it necessary for you to do an inheritance to figure out just who you are precisely. I don't care what your birth parents named you or where you came from and you know you will always be my little angel." She chuckled at the slightly shy but loving smile she got from Amelia as the girl came over the table with two full plates. "But I think its a good and I have to agree with the goblins. They have set an appointment for us at ten. An inheritance test shall be done to see who your parents were, where you came from before you landed in my lap quite literally and if you have any vaults you can claim with Gringotts. I think it'll help you make a choice as well." She slid the four school letters side by side in front of Amelia. "Bulgaria, England, France or" she paused as her finger tapped the letter from The Keep "Ireland. Four of the premier magic schools in the magical world as we know and three of them never let anyone in without being a homeland national to the schools country of origin."

"Only three?" Amelia asked setting her mothers plate down and passing over the silverware.

"Hogwarts lets in anyone with magic so long as you get British citizenship. Durmstrang and The Keep" the older witch tapped the respective letters "only admit those with the blood of native sons or daughters which tells me your mother or father have to have family roots in those countries. Beauxbatons only admits french citizens, a loophole you were able to take advantage of since you quite literally appeared out of nowhere with no with nothing but a basket and the amulet around your little neck."

Amelia clutched the silver amulet hanging off her necklace, a silver dragon curled up clutching an emerald heart in its claws as the wings were spread out, before nodding. As much as she loved her adopted mother, something she would always say and never deny, the amulet and her one eye that didn't change in the blood adoption ritual was all she knew she had of her birth parents and things she cherished knowing that whatever happened to her birth family part of them was with her. "Well, the goblins will be able to shed more light on this than us just speculating. Eat and then we had to figure out how to kill a few hours time" she said releasing the amulet feeling a flash of warmth from it like every time she held it for an extended period of time. Light conversation came as she and her mother laughed about stupid little things. "So what do you know about the schools? Besides all the stories of Beauxbatons you told me of your school years."

"The Keep out of Ireland is a mystery to everyone but the students and staff who work there. What outsiders do know is that they are some of the most well disciplined witches and wizards to be taught. One of their more famous alumni Alexei O'Connor is a recognized Battle Mage by the ICW." A clap of the older witches hands summoned their house elf Mippy. "Could you be so kind as to clear the dishes for us Mippy? My daughter and I have to ready for this day of serious appointments."

Mippy nodded her head and snapped her fingers floating the dishes over to the sink before they began to clean themselves.

"And the other two?" Amelia asked with a finely raised eyebrow.

"Durmstrang is rumored and given a bad reputation as a dark school that practices all the dark arts. Its located somewhere in the north of Bulgaria by my guess since I only saw them once for an ICW event in my final year of school. Given they travel by ship it has to be close to the ocean and cold as all pits of hell since they present themselves with heavy thick furs." The witch paused trying to recall anything else. "Durmstrang is mostly a male population whether you ask about students or teachers. As for Hogwarts, its disappointing to say the least. Anyone with half a brain can look up their courses and they haven't changed in nearly two centuries. Their teaching outdated material and current headmaster seems not to care. I really wouldn't recommend choosing it but I will support your choice if you do."

"Mippy." Amelia turned in her seat and offered the house elf the letter. "Burn this please. I will not have my education undermined by subpar outdated material or deliberate use of subpar outdated material. Thank you Mippy" she said kindly as the elf burned it and the ashes scattered out the window. "Lets get ready then I suppose. We don't want to offend thhe goblins by coming into their sovereign nation looking like beggers."

-Gringotts bank-

When the pair appeared at the Paris branch of Gringotts both witches stumbled and caught themselves against the building side with their hands. "I hate portkeys" Amelia muttered darkly. She hated all magical transportation really except apparition and she had wait to get a license for that until she was sixteen and that bummed her out. Recomposing herself she smoothed out her blouse and skirt before heading into the bank behind her mother.

"Katherine and Amelia Nightshade to see our family vault manager. We have a ten o'clock appointment."

The goblin teller motioned for them to follow him. Five minutes later the pair of women were seated before a heavily scarred goblin. "Punctual as ever Lady and Heiress Nightshade, very good. Now, to the heart of the matter. Young Amelia" beady eyes turned to the young witch with a dagger offered to her "we need your blood."

-At Hogwarts-

Albus Dumbledore felt an ominus shiver run down his spine.


	2. Let there be War Witches

Fifteen year old Amelia sighed as she listened to the headmistresses pep talk again aimed at her fellow competitors as they walked through the breach she and Sara had opened. It wasn't like she or Sara would need it, they were only fourth yeara and therfore couldn't compete. Still, there was something to say about the headmistresses showmanship.

-Flashback twenty minutes prior-

Amelia cursed as she collided harshly with the ground. Forcing herself to her feet she spit the blood from her mouth and used her clenched fist wipe blood from her nose. "Is that all you got O'Hara? That tickled" she said with a smirk exposing hints of bloody teeth. Just like she wanted the girl across from her was losing control of the one thing thing their mistress had taught them they needed to always control, their temper. Dodging out of the way of a rather nasty fire spell her smirk grew a little more. "What was that? Trying to roast a marshmallow are we? And you want the honor of mistress deeming you a full War Witch." The snarky tone finally hit the last nerve she wanted to hit before she was charged with a knife alchemically created.

Sarah Beth O'Hara snarled in impatience and anger at her friend. Yes, this was training to hone their skills. Yes, she was purposefully throwing the number one lesson out the window but when Amelia wanted to be a bitch in the middle of a mock battle playing the enemy she could be a little too good she lost all patience for her. "And this is why we War Witches work in teams of two." She shuddered feeling the warm breath on her ear and the cold steel of twin daggers pressed against her, one to her throat and the other in a simulated backstab position that would pierce her heart to exit out her chest. Before Sara the Amelia she had been fighting collapsed into a pile of stone and dirt, she had been fighting a golem and hadn't even noticed the switch out.

"I concede" Sara said dropping her own dagger and raised her hands in defeat. Turning her gaze to her friend she smiled a little and spit the blood out of her own mouth. "Think we overdid it Amy?" The alchemy practice field was a mess of craters, blood splotches and destroyed constructs.

"No such thing as overdoing it in the midst of battle, simulated or otherwise" Amelia said dropping the daggers to the ground before releasing her friend. Flowing magic to the runic arrays on her right arm she knelt down and pressed it to the ground returning the constructs and the field to it undestroyed state. "With my right arm I reshape the world around me to be our weapon."

"And with my left I rid our enemies of their ability to fight back" Sara finished offering her arm in assistance helping Amelia up.

"Together nothing and no one can stop us" they both intoned with a coy grin leaning into the other. Mismatched eyes met Saras sky blue as they danced affectionately in the fading sunlight of the setting sun. "Best of friends and sisters in all but blood."

"My strength and my sword is yours." The runic array lit up in a white gold color as Amelia grasped the hand still held in her own.

"My shield and my loyalty yours." Black and red arrays lit up along Saras left arm as she squeezed Amelias hand back. The meeting of the magic fueling their arrays caused a distortion in the air around them fueling a branch of magic they could only accomplish when they were in-synch, Master Class Alchemy. A crest appeared in the ground beneath them, a combination of the House of Nightshade and O'Hara- a Banshee and an armored Nundu- fighting back-to-back, while the two witches enjoyed the moment.

"This is the reason I took you two girls on as my apprenctices." Appearing from the shadow of a tree the headmistress of the Keep, the last War Witch from last century, watched the girls turn to her before bowing. "Enough of that, I'm not here to give you a lesson. I neer my top two witches to come with us to Hogwarts."

Sara looked up with a frown marring her lips. "That dinky backwater English school? Why in the name of the Goddess would we be going there? I mean no offense mistress but that place is a fecking excuse of a 'school'. I have a cousin who is unlucky enough to have to attend there and half the staff doesn't sound qualified to work there, their history of magic teacher is a ghost who drones on about nothing but goblin rebellions and if the rumors she has heard have any measure of truth the headmaster there seemingly invites danger into the school every year. Her first year there it was a mountain troll infiltrating the school that she saw herself. Her second it was a basilisk petrifying muggleborn students before they literally had to call in a parselmouth Unspeakable to deal with the problem from what she heard. That 'school' sounds like a death trap" she said as her frown turned into a deep scowl.

"Its not a matter of choice Sara. The Tri-Wizard Tournament has been brought forth from its grave." She wore he own scowl and pinched her nose. "We and the Durmstrang Institute out of Bulgaria have been selected as the other competing schools, Hogwarts shall play the host."

Amelia gave a dramatic sigh and let go of Saras hand bringing her own to her face theatrically in a show of disappointment. "And here I was actually considering dating this year" she said in a mock disappointed tone. "Fate! Such a cruel and malevolent mistress! Why do you torture me so!" She gave a theatrical faint and smirked as Sara caught her while their mistress snorted in amusement. "Knew you loved me Sara" she said with a cheeky playful wink and blew her a kiss before scampering off.

Sara chuckled and shook her head. "Of course I love ya you crazy bitch. Someone has to keep you out of trouble as much as humanly possible. Even though you are a chaos magnet and a brat" she called after Amelia chasing the girl down with a slight grin.

"Hey I resent that! I'm not the one that got caught makin out with Jimmy McNolty and tried to blame it on sleep walking!" Amelia shot back indignantly. "And its Ms crazy bitch, get it right!"

"Where are you two going? I wasn't done talking to you" the headmistress said following the two girls to the school entrance.

"If we're accompanying you to England we have to re-pack our trunks" Sara said. "Plus you saying you need us to come with you tells us you were planning on leaving soon at some point today so we have to re-pack quickly, shant take more than five to ten minutes."

"I'm guessing you also want us to open a breach to transport the party of competing students and ourselves" Amelia asked tapping the correct sequence of runes to grant them access to the underground school.

"Unless you want to embarrass yourself in front of your classmates and potentially the entirety of the Hogwarts population as well as Durmstrang by arriving with portkeys and probably end up in a compromising straddling some poor girl, like last time, we probably should" Sara said with a smirk. The annoyed grunt from Amelia made her fist pump in victory. Of course she was referring to their last girls night out with a group of friends and they took a portkey to magical Dublin. Amelia, still as hateful of magical transportation except apparition, had stumbled upon landing. She ended up losing her balance, as usual, and ended up bowling over a rather pretty older girl; a rather happy accident as the older girl, who was sixteen at the time and them fourteen, spent the night hanging off Amelias arm after a while and if the smile on her friends lips said anything the girl was a damn good kisser.

"I know where you sleep at Sara" Amelia said with a glaring look. "So do yourself a favor and shut up before you wake up tomorrow morning with acid green hair." The threat hung in the air waiting for the redheaded witch to challenge her. When Sara didn't challenge her Amelia continued with a victorious smirk through the labryinth of halls that made up their school. 'Vanity, such an easy weakness to exploit' she thought to herself.

Ten minutes on the dot later Sara and Amelia stood before the competing party and the headmistress. Raising a hand Amelia brought the chatter to silence before she began to speak. "Ladies and gents, we leave our native home to be part of a tournament many hoped lost to history. We know how dangerous the Tri-Wizard tournament has been. Whoever among us is chosen, be safe. This travesty of a tournament is not worth dying over. Not when you have families, friends and people here who love you expecting your safe return home" she said casting her gaze across the crowd of grim faced students.

Sara cleared her throat and nodded her head slightly. Simultaneously both girls drew a deep breath and extended both hands towards each other, a visible silver aura of magic surrounding them both before a cracking sound filled the air. Over a minute a rift appeared between them as the auras changed from silver to red and an image formed from the blackness of the void that was the rift. An english castle outlined by a large crowd of people and a ship where two columns of people were exiting onto solid ground. "Come on folks, its showtime!"

-Flashback end-

Albus Dumbledore had barely managed to introduce the Durmstrang contingent before a crack filled the air. The gasps of surprise drew his attention to a rift appearing above the water of the Black Lake. Two by two students began to appear walking across the surface of lake. The awe that crossed his students faces as the boys and girls dressed to the nines in green and white made the aged headmaster wary. He hadn't seen magic like that in a long time and to see it actively practiced in times like now where threats of Death Eater attacks were probable at anytime was equal parts hopeful and disturbing since it was magics not even he was familiar with. "Extend your welcome to the fair sons and daughters of The Keep, our final competing school!" his voice bellowed as the headmistress of the school appeared.

"Finish it girls."

Sara and Amelia smirked at each other as a gleam entered their eyes. "It is time sister" Sara said before stepping through. Amelia cackled to herself knowing they were about to scare some kids half to death. Stepping through herself the rift began to destabilize. Knowing what to do the pair took a deep breath making eyes widen as a motion of their hands collapsed the rift turning the raw magic to pitch black flame version of The Keep school crest.

Albus trembled internally at the display. "War Witches."


	3. A Tri-Wizard history lesson

Amelia skipped across the surface of the lake with not a care in the world as shocked faces stared at her. "What? Is there something on my blouse? I knew I shouldn't have let you do the laundry last night Sara!" Turning with an indignant look at her friend she scowled at the redhead. "Never trust a vain redhead to do laundry. Spend more time mirror watching than you already do" she huffed crossing her arms under her considerable bust. She heard in the crowd of Hogwarts students some protests but paid it not heed.

"Amelia, dear darling sister" Sara began as she strode across the waters surface and pushed Amelia onto solid land where their classmates waited looking amused to no end as the flames faded "they have never seen a pair of War Witches practice their craft if I had to guess. Either that or they're shocked we can perform elemental magic considering the discipline and control it requires to not kill ourselves in the process." The thoughtful look on Amelias face made her snort before whacking her upside the head. "Now behave, we could probably show up the Hogwarts brats but we still have to be polite guests lest mistress up our training regiment."

The horrible stage whisper made Amelia snort in amusement and their classmates snigger as the Hogwarts kids looked none too happy with the comment. "Fine fine" she said as she shook her head "but only because I can't resist you." She batted her eyes prettily and resisted the urge to palm her face as half the boys in the Hogwarts crowd went red faced before passing out. "Chauvinistic inbred english swine" she muttered under her breath as she and the rest of her classmates proceeded into the school behind the very people she was insulting. It was slightly odd to her just how much attention she was receiving considering, in her opinion, there were much prettier girls in her school and some of them just happened to be competing. Her grey highlighted white hair now reached her lower back kept under control by a celtic braid, her training with Sara gave her lean figure just enough definition to show she was physically capable but not bulky, her bust was just bordering on a solid D-cup and all the right curves in the right places to say she took care of herself- all in all, she was ok looking in her own books. Sara had tried time and again with the argument that she was a knock out beauty citing the staggering amout of confessions she got on a monthly basis but she herself just didn't see it. Perhaps it was a jaded idea because her idea of being beautiful was based off her mother Kathrine. She gave it no thought as they were gestured to stop between a large set of oak doors as the english kids broke into their own separate groups.

Albus Dumbledore shook himself from his thoughts and cleared his throat bringing his students attention to him. "Igor, Joyce if you could come join me and the other teachers at the staff table. Igor your students can sit with Slytherin house and Joyce yours with Huffle-"

Sara coughed loudly interrupting Albus. "No offense sir but we can solve the issue of seating easily. With your permission of course" she said with a particular look in her eye. The look she received from the aged wizard was one of wariness but consented with a nod. "And yours too headmistress."

"By all means girls" Joyce said waving it off. Scaring the enemy was an idea that she had long instilled in Sara and Amelia so the fact they were working on the same wavelength, the imperceptible glances proof of it to her, to psych out their competiton was all fine in her books.

Amelia grinned slightly and cracked her knuckles on each hand before clapping them once as her arms glowed with the magic flowing into them. The two inner most group tables moved back seemingly on their own, students on the long benches included, before she knelt down pressing her hands to the stone floor. While her thoughts focused on forming the table she missed the awe on students faces as a long elaborate stone table rose out of the masonry work of the Great Hall floor. One half of the table was decorated with a representation of the Bulgarian national flag while the other half had carvings and depictions of creatures native to Ireland. "Done" she said panting slightly as she wiped her brow with back of her hand before the sweat dripped down her face. Opening a breach, maintaining it to let her school mates through, collapsing the breach to satisfy the headmistresses need to showoff and making the table to seat them on top of the training earlier was enough strain a girls magical core. 'Well, I'll sleep well tonight. Wherever it is we'll all be sleeping' she thought accepting Saras help into a seat while the Durmstrang students studied her handiwork. Some nodded in approval and even clapped her on the shoulder as if to say nice work as they passed to sit on their half.

Dumbledore looked over to Joyce with veiled shock. Two of the girls were not only War Witches, whether she had graduated them from being apprentices he had no way to know, but one of them was talented in alchemy as well? Just what were they teaching at The Keep? "Joyce, I must say I am impressed. To see one so young not only interested in the old ways of alchemy but be so adept at it makes me overjoyed to see its roots not lost" he said with a rather thin lipped smile. Contrary to his words he was not happy about it in the slightest. Methods like the girl used were rumored to be lost since his former mentor Nicholas Flammel and his wife disappeared after his apprenticeship was cut short for his own youthful stupidity.

"Ah Dumbledore, don't think you can lie to me." Joyce returned the thin lipped smile and raised her goblet to her lips in amusement. "Your old mentor Nicholas was quite happy to find two pupils at my school who understood what it meant to properly respect a masters order and not try to steal the work as their own credit" she said as the tables were suddenly filled with food, plates and silverware. "Though it was quite sad to see him and his wife leave after four years of teaching my two apprenctices. Teaching them so much and leaving them a mystery to solve with a handful of their texts left to be the jumping off point. Masters they are not but quite talented indeed. One final test from my deeming them qualified War Witches and terrifying in their own rights when it comes to their branches of alchemy."

At the table with The Keep students Sara cleared her throat and offered her hands to her classmates beside her. It was tradition at The Keep to give thanks to the Goddess in prayer before every meal. Once all their hands were locked heads were bowed before she lead them in the blessing in gaelic. Around them eyes peered curiously but none gave notice before heads were raised once more and hands released as they began to dish out food for themslves.

"Thats kind weird don't you think 'Mione? Like a bunch of muggles the lot" a rather pig faced redhead boy commented looking to the Irish students. His companion rolled her eyes behind a curtain of unruly brown hair.

"Honestly Ronald, you should read a text book once in while instead of sleeping on them" Hermoine said crossly. "As for the Irish delegates its not uncommon for them to say a blessing before meals giving thanks or even during rituals. A lot of their magic is druidic in nature so their respect for nature itself and creature life is not be scoffed at. A lot of cultures take magic for granted but there are still cultures today that honor their roots and the Irish are one of them since Ireland is one of the few places in modern times you will find a thriving druid sect of wizards."

"Huh?" Ronal asked in reply with his mouth full of mashed potatoes.

"Ugh, never mind. You are impossible. As always" Hermoine huffed and stood up leaving the Gryffindor table before heading over to the table in the middle of the hall aware of all eyes on her. "Evening all, I thought I might ask if you wouldn't mind my sitting with you all for the feast."

Every one of The Keep students gazes shifted momentarily meeting the others before resting on Amelia and Sara. Although some of the students there were older it was the headmistresses apprentices who had more power than them both in magical talents and influence despite being only fourth years. "Why not? This whole death trap of a tournament is supposed to foster goodwill and international magical relations so it would be against the very nature of it to turn you away" Amelia said scooting over slightly to make space between her and Sara.

"What do you mean death trap? The headmaster told us the tournament was safe" Hermoine said as she sat down.

"Did he now lass?" one of the older girls said looking amused. "Did the old codger also tell you that this tournament has been dead these last two centuries because that last time a cummulative death count on the part of the champions was done in the twenty five recorded times its been hosted, out of the seventy five champions nearly two dozen have died during the tasks. Another three dozen were maimed and irreparibly injured and the other twenty five quit magic altogether because of the trauma they endured during the course of the tournament. Did he tell you all that too?" she asked.

Hermoine looked sick at the facts being told to her. Dumbledore had in fact NOT told them any of that. He had told them the tournament was a harmless competition to increase foreign relations with other magical countries and test how well other magical schools prepared their students for the real world.

"Did he tell you about what some past trials were? The first task of the fourteenth Tri-Wizard Tournament had the champions facing off against Manticores. They had to kill the manticore to get their clue about the second task. The last recorded tournament before now, champions had to face off against chimera to steal an object from their cave to give them a clue about what their next ordeal would be" a boy across from Sara, Hermoine and Amelia said rolling his eyes. "No matter what that dodgy old codger says, this tournament is a death trap since there is a very real possibility the champions will die or be permanently injured in the process. But don't let our sour thoughts about being forced to compete after your headmaster willfully revived this travesty ruin your meal."

Hermoine suddenly lost her appetite as she glanced up to the staff with doubts in her eyes aimed at Dumbledore.


	4. Champion selection chaos

"The champion for Durmstrang is.. VICTOR KRUM!" Deafening applause filled the Great Hall as Victor left the hall toward the antechamber Dumbledore motioned toward. "The champion for Hogwarts is... CEDRIC DIGGORY!" The Huffleluff table was in uproaring applause as the champion stood, made a couple of showy bows and made his way out. Once the applause died down Dumbledore caught the final piece of parchment spit out of the cup. "The Keep champion is... JANETTE McNAMARA!"

The Keep student cheered loudly and whistled as a rather pretty blonde girl with purple eyes and tan skin stood. "Yes yes, I'd like to thank to the academy for this prestigious honor. My wonderful mentors, my friends-"

"Get off with it ya bitch" Amelia said laughing alongside most of The Keep girls. Even Janettes flipping her off made them crack up. "Been there, done that sweetheart." The white haired girl winked as the half-hearted glare did nothing. Near invisible traces of a blush rose up Janettes cheeks as the blonde stalked off.

"You know shes going to get you back for that Amelia" Sara said rolling her eyes as the Great Hall filled with conversation once more. "I mean, go on a few dates and getting her down to skivvies for a bit of petting and suddenly yo-"

Dumbledore was about to make the final annoumcements before the flames in the goblet went red once more. He was perplexed for a moment considering the oddity. The three champions were selected, the goblet should be back to its inert state. A fourth parchment was spit out and lazily floated into the old mans hand. His skin went ash pale and his blue eyes widened immensely. "Alexandria Potter..." The Great Hall went silent as eyes went wide, mouths were agape and heads rapidly turned to try and find the aforementioned girl. "Alexandria Potter!"

Amelia and Sara went rigid in their seats, both girls going pale as a sheet. Saras eyes were focused on her friend and sister in all but blood while Amelia was seemingly gone mentally. Sara and their headmistress Joyce were the only ones to know Amelias birth identity besides her mother so how had her given birth name come out of the cup? Numbly she stood but the expression on her face was murderous as the whispers began. She knew her disappearance as a baby after the failed attack by Voldemort on Godrics Hollow was famous so to know all of Britain knew she existed wasn't a shock but someone wanting to see her die that was most likely aligned with the dark douche pissed her off. Stopping at the goblet her hands were engulfed in pitch black fire as she picked it up menacingly. 'If you value existing you will rectify yourself you stupid cup or I will use the magic in my blood to ensure you are nothing more than a memory and a pile of ashes never to be used as means of another death ever again!' she swore loudly in gaelic scaring a majority of the british students. A scroll popped out of the goblet in elegant script offering an apology and stating it only spit out what was put in. A moment later a fifth corrected parchment shot out. "My name" she glared darkly at the shellshocked Hogwarts staff "is Amelia Nightshade. I am a French citizen and Irish national. I did not put my name into this murder competition. Ask my headmistress, my fellow students of The Keep. I was with them from the time we left the feast last night and firmly had my arse planted on a seat not taking a step anywhere near this damm cup til now. SO WHO WANTS ME DEAD?! DON'T BE A FUCKIN COWARD AND FACE ME NOW!" she snarled as her aura burned black like the fire in her hands.

It took moments for Dumbledore to come out of his shock. Alexandria was alive, she was really alive. She was standing in front of him right now. "As that may be Ms Potter you have been-"

A rather thin jet of black flame missed igniting Dumbledores beard by inches as Amelias glares grew frostier and directed at him. "I dont care what you think my name is, I fucking just corrected you ya fossil. I suggest you fuckin listen to me" she said icily. "I wont miss on purpose next time."

"Stand down Amelia. I'll launch an inquiry into this. Obviously Dumbledore did not post proper security on the goblet" Joyce said in a clipped tone. Amelia relented as the fire died in her hands, something Joyce was glad for that her apprentice obeyed more out of respect for her and that she did not have to force her to with the master-apprentice bond. "I will be having words with you later. You said proper security was on the goblet. Obviously not since two of my students are at risk now. Bad enough you revived this abomination in the first place and I was forced to put ONE at risk" she said with a rather venomous glare aimed at Dumbledore. "Join the other champions Amelia, we'll be along shortly to inform you of what you all will need to know."

Amelias eyes narrowed before clenching her fist hard and the wooden goblet ceased to be after a moment, the runic array on her arm turning soul stealing black and vaporizing the goblet as the ancient magic was absorbed by the array. Knowledge flooded her mind as she stalked the path to the antechamber amidst increased whispers and fearful glances from the Hogwarts kids. "The goblet was tampered with in some way forcing my name out so I'm being forced to compete and someone dark douche flunky wants me dead most likely" she said before anyone could say anything. Janette looked at her with nothing but belief while Viktor and Cedric less so. Before they could rip in to her the school heads and tournament organizing staff came in.

"Is it true? Was the goblet tampered with headmaster?" Cedric asked with a disbelieving tone and look. The goblet was protected by an age line and charms to make it so one could only put their own name in, the second Keep girl had to be a liar. If Viktors look was anything to go on he was thinking the same thing.

"I'm afraid to say it was so though I can not say by who or how. Ms Pot-" Dumbledore cleared his throat seeing a dangerous black fireball appear in Amelias hand "Ms Nightshade destroyed the goblet of fire with alchemy." The tone of disappointment was to mask his mind whirling at a million miles an hours. The prophecy could be fulfilled at last, Voldemort could be killed and the threat of his Death Eaters ended! But how did he keep the Potter girl in England long enough to do so?

Ludo Bagman looked in shock at the girl in question holding the black flames like it caused her no pain. "She destroyed it?! Using alchemy?!" he asked as his face went a rather ugly shade of red.

"Yes I did you ingrate and you should fucking thank me for doing so" Amelia said with a sneer. "This tournament claimed two dozen champions lives in the twenty five recorded times it was hosted. Three dozen had permanent injuries inflicted upon them no magical healing could fix. The last twenty five up and quit using magic altogether because of the mix of mental and physical trauma. THIS IS A MURDER AND MAIM ENTERTAINMENT SHOW!" she snarled darkly. "We'll be lucky to escape this tournament alive if you ass backwards english retards planned this as poorly as the previous ones were."

Cedric was appalled and shaken by what he heard. Dumbledore had told them the tournament was safe, perilous considering there would danger but safe enough. The girl had to be lying. Despite putting a strong front on his eyes darted to meet Dumbledores own hoping and praying the girl was lying.

Dumbledore felt rather cross at the Potter girl exposing the gruesome details of what happened to previous champions no matter how vague the details were. He warned the tournament was not for the faint of heart but left out the gory gruesome details thinking no one would be intent to distribute the dark facts. "Ms Nightshade is correct. Champions have died and some of them injured beyond standard healing but this is why I cautioned so strongly to think of putting yours names into the goblet in the first place" he said grimly.

Amelia and Janette didn't care as every Keep student was made aware of the bloody history of the tournament. "Just tell us the bloody date of the first task" Janette said with an irritated scowl. Something was different and she didn't mean that Amelias alchemy array, usually a pristine white or golden-white in glow, was pulsing in a soul steal pitch black color. That was worrying all and in of itself but she hoped to be right it was merely a side-effect of her current foul mood.

"The First Task is the twenty-fourth of November. A task of bravery in the face of the unknown." The form of Barty Crouch sr looked entirely too thoughtful and worried about something to pay too much attention to the pettysquabbles of the Diggory boy as he watched the three women from The Keep walk back into the Great Hall.

-Foreign Dignitary quarters-

Amelia huffed as she threw herself onto the bed and screamed into her pillow. Why did she have to be entered into this death trap by a dark douche flunky? She hoped for a quiet time here and the way Dumbledore looked at her was far from appropriate, the twinkle was sinister. She cringed as hands were laid on her back and resisted the urge to let her magic deal with the contact.

"We're with you sister." One by one more hands were gently laid on Amelia til at last Sara gently raised her white haired friends head and rested it on her lap after climbing onto the bed. "We're with both you. We will guarantee both you and Janette come home with us whole. Thats what family does and thats what we are."

Amelias muscles relaxed under the gentle pressure and closed her eyes. Sara was right, she would trust her classmates- her brothers and sisters as everyone in The Keep could trace their roots back to there in some degree so they were family in one context of the word- and they would get home safe. "You're right, you're all right" she said opening her eyes. A sea of care and respect met her gaze as it swept the people lining her bed on all side.

"We protect our own" Janette said grasping Amelias hand.

"Aid them in time of need." One of the boys took Amelias other hand and pulled her to a sitting position. "Lend our strength when their own fails" another girl added with fierce perfect crystal reflective green eyes.

"Thank you brothers, sisters" Amelia said with a soft smile showing just how grateful she was.

-Dumbledores office-

Albus paced uncertainly before placing the floo call. "James, Lily... Alexandria has been found. Shes in the tournament I'm afraid."


	5. Weighing wands, dragons and demise

"Goddess grant me the strength of mind and will to not strangle the next idiot british man to hit on me." Amelia sighed as her eyes opened and looked to the starry sky above her. Settled at the top of the astronomy tower her meditations were far from disturbed as the class had been cancelled due to rain. "Grant me the strength of will to continue my efforts to uncover the first task of this travesty that is the Tri-Wizard Tournament as well if you could be so benevolent" she said quietly as her eyes caught a sudden burst of flame above the forest. Her eyes sharpened as she got to her feet quickly and peered into the darkness of the night barely making out large enclosures. Her heart stopped and it felt like the blood in her veins filled with ice. They couldn't be that stupid could they? They wouldn't dare pit them against such dangerous creatures like.. The roar reaching her ears made her stomach drop before she was off like a shot. Janette would need to know right away. The tournament was already dangerous but if they were doing this for the FIRST task then a cold chill ran down her spine at how dangerous the others would be.

In the foreign dignitary quarters Janette scowled deeply as she poured over three large tomes. Her fellow students hung around doing their own work but she was aware of the concerned glances subtly shot at her. She had been burning the candle at both ends and it was beginning to show. She was aware she lost some weight, her skin had paled, there were bags under her eyes and even her upbeat demeanor was wearing thin to the point she was snapping at her or Amelia didn't figure out the task soon it would drive them both nuts and she knew it!

"Everyone but Janette out now. I don't care where you go but I need to talk to her privately. Now. Tournament news" Amelia said gravely as she briskly strode into their accomadating common area. Once they were alone she cast notice-me-not charms around them as she sat down beside the blonde. "Before I tell you what I found out about the task I hate to ask this but I need an unbreakable vow from you Jane to not reveal what I am about to show or tell you til I'm ready for the world to know. I don't ask this lightly but this comes as life or death for both of us." It took a minute or two but everyone, the headmistress included, retreated to their sleeping quarters leaving them alone with only the crackling of the fireplace as accomoanying sound to their breathing.

Janette grimaced internally at the grave tone to Amelias words. Normally more upbeat and lighthearted, the news relating to the tournament had to be quite serious for Amelia to require an unbreakable vow about whatever the girl had to show and tell her. "I Janette McNamara solemnly swear on my life and magic to not reveal what Amelia Nightshade is about to show and tell me til she deems it ready for the world to know. So mote it be" she said in a serious tone as a silver aura flashed around her. "Spill it, what has you so worried and your knickers in a twist?"

Amelia didn't answer and instead turned so her back was to Janette. "There was one secret I kept from you while we dated Jane" she said removing her shirt. The surprised gasp made her grimace feeling fingers gently trace the branded tattoo of the dragon taking up the whole of her back, the mark of headship regarding the House of Evans; the leadership mark of the Dragon Cults Priests and Slayers. "I don't want you to misunderstand why I reveal this to you now. I don't want you to doubt either that our relationship was any less real than what you have now with Amanda back home. The first task involves dragons in some capacity. Nesting mother dragons." Another gasp reached her ears and she could detect hints of fear in it as she hastily pulled her shirt back on and turned around.

Janette had mixed feelings raging as her eyes met her ex-girlfriends. On one hand she had kept such a major secret from her though why Amelia did was understandable to her; her family had been a vassal clan of Priest and Priestess aids & Amelia probably didn't want to feel like she herself had gone out with the younger witch just because her family was bound to serve House Evans in all capacities. On the other hand she wanted to rage that Amelia kept such a huge secret when they promised complete honesty and no secrets from each other. "We promised complete honesty with each other when we dated Amy" she said slowly. "Complete and transparent honesty."

"I know and you can ream me out later for a white lie but you have to understand..." Amelia said pausing with a guilty pleading look. "We just started going out after I got the mark. I had just been granted access to the clan archives and found out which families swore loyalty as vassals to mine. I didn't want you to feel you had be in a relationship with me. Not when it was so easy for us and we were so happy together." The guilty look grew before she straightened her posture a little. "I'm going to give you the chance of a lifetime since its the only way we'll both get out of the task alive. How would you like to step out of your families shoes as an aid to the cloth? How would you like to be bled in and train with me as a Slayer?"

Janette was in shock at the offer. While she loved her family and she was moderately good at the Priest and Priestess spells they safeguarded for House Evans, the offer was beyond any dream. To be bled into a House like House Evans was as good as being adopted into family royalty on Irish soil. "Th-this does-doesn't get you off the hook" she said with a weak sputtering response.

"I wasn't trying to get off the hook Jane." Amelia reached over and gently grasped Janettes hand. "We aren't dating anymore but your safety is still important to me. I know you are a fighter and I don't want to see you die in this tournament. Not when you when you have a beautiful girl who loves you waiting for you back home, your parents waiting and a little brother who is going to need his big sister to kick him in the seat of the pants to make sure he doesn't get too big for his britches. Please say yes, not for my sake but theirs" she said squeezing Janettes hand.

"Two conditions and I will" Janette said as her eyes softened. The guilt didn't sit pretty on Amelias features and she didn't like being the cause of it. "Tell me the truth, was that the only secret you kept from me?"

"Aside from a few abilities yes but technically it wasn't a secret since I wasn't aware of them yet since I couldn't access some books in the archives. Most of the books bear a rune cover that scans your magic to make sure you have the required skills to execute what was inside amd since I had NO training in any Evans skills I had no way to train the abilities I now have" Amelia said candidly. The glowering look made her blush slightly, she hadn't lied so she didn't really deserve the look.

Janette scowled and huffed. Leave it to Amelia to have a technicality get her off the hook and not be an excuse. Not that she could fault the white haired witch. She couldn't know or have any abilities most Evams were rumored to possess if she had just come to bear the leadership brand on her back. "Fine, yout get off on a technicality but only just" she said taking her hand back and crossed her arms under her chest. "Now my second condition, kiss me."

Amelia blinked owlishly for a moment. "Not for nothing but wouldn't that sorta kinda be a cheating gesture on your part? I mean Amandas my friend and I really don't.." She was silenced by a finger put on her lips.

"She gave me permission as long it was you. Someone we both trust and lets face it, she knows what we have done together. Its not like its a secret or I'm stripping down to my birthday suit and telling you to go down on me" Janette said rolling her eyes. "Offering to bleed me in is a big thing since I know if I accept then I'll be able to learn the family magic. At the same token if I do and we did things I'd be screwing around my now TECHNICALLY speaking adopted sister, a rather hot thought, but still my sister. Before I do anything I want one last kiss where people won't look down on us for being intimate in any regard."

Amelia didn't respond and instead removed the finger on her lips before she leaned in. Ever so lightly their lips came together, a ghosting of flesh at first before her arms came up to wrap around Janettes neck. The intensity grew til before she knew it they were deep in the middle of an oral battle to see who would win in a battle of tongues. Subduing the blondes tongue took effort but happily took her prize drawing soft sweet moans as she let herself be lost for a moment in the sound as she broke the kiss panting heavily. Grinning softly at Janette, just when she moved and straddled the other was unclear, she rested her forehead against the others lightly. "So its a yes?" she asked once she regained a measure of control for her breathing.

"As long as you agree to sit down with me and Amanda about possibly making a threesome between us a possibility. You know she has had a not so secret crush on you for a long while before I scooped her up after we broke up. Besides" Janette grinned a little flirty smirk "who needs kissing cousins when you could have kissing sisters so intimately familiar with each others bodies? Plus I'm sure between the two of us we can prove that the quiet ones are always screamers."

Amelia chuckled softly and buried her face in Janettes neck. "You are such a hopeless pervert" she said closing her eyes. The sweetness of the blondes light perfume, a mix of jasmine and vanilla, wafted across her nose drawing a silent yawn as nuzzled the older witch feeling a wave of tiredness crash over her. "Its more than the two you asked for but I'll consider it. We should rest before the sun rises. If they keep to tradition the wand weighing will be tomorrow."

"Imagine the shock that'll cross their faces when you tell them you don't need a focus for most of your magic and the only time you need it the focus isn't a wand. Ten galleons says the Merlin wannabe has a heart attack and dies on the spot" Janette said with a quiet dark snicker. She couldn't quite place her finger on why she didn't like Albus Dumbledore but something in her knew the man was bad news big time. When she made an effort to try and move Amelia she was met with resistance. "Amy you gotta-"

"I'm not moving" Amelia said after another quiet yawn and snuggled more into Janettes warmth. "You always complained about being the little spoon when we were together. I'm comfy right now Jane and I don't care if it makes me the little spoon in this moment." Pulling her head back she gave the blonde a small sleepy smile and kissed her cheek gently. "Lets just lay like this ok? Its nice to be in your arms like this once more and not have to worry about anything even if its only for a moment." Her words came out quietly as she nuzzled her face back into the soft hollow flesh of Janettes throat. "Be my big spoon tonight so we can both rest peacefully tonight?"

By the time Sara returned to the foreign dignitary quarters, she was the LAST one to return, the fire in the fireplace was burning low. She gave pause seeing Amelia curled up asleep in the arms of Janette on the couch. She was half tempted to wake them up but decided against it seeing both the small content smiles on their lips and the soft happy auras around the pair. As her head shook in silent but approving humor she conjured a blanket before draping it over the pair. Even though she knew the pair had broken up amicably and remained two of the tightest friends she had ever seen, just below how close Amelia and herself were actually in her own admittedly biased opinion, it was nice to see them have a small connect like this. She pressed a soft kiss to Amelias temple and grinned softly as the white haired witch wiggled in Janettes arms before snuggling flush against the blonde witch. "Keep my sister safe in this tournament and I will owe you a debt Janette" she whispered quietly before kissing the blondes temple as well. A soft amusement entered her eyes as Janettes arms wrapped a little tighter around Amelia in her sleep and the blonde muttered something that sounded like 'My Amy' in her sleep. Putting it out of her mind she stoked the fire with another log to keep the sleeping duo warm before she slunk out of the common area to sleep.

* * *

When a Hogwarts kid was sent to The Keep quarters to retrieve the two female champions for the wand weighing ceremony he was treated to the shock of his lifetime so far. Their common area was transfigured to be a training area easilythe size of the Great Hall with mysterious runes glowing on the walls. He guessed that the runes with size adjustments among other things as the two witches he was looking for were locked in a duel and moving about the room in a way they should have not been able to. The blonde whose name he could not remember had ducked a severing charm forcing the kid to hit the deck with a yelp lest he lose something he didn't want to lose.

"Whose there?!" Amelias wand tip was light red with a held back stunner as a boy from Hogwarts stood with hands held up in surrender. "What do you want boy? Speak."

"The headmaster sent me to retrieve you and your fellow champion for the weighing of the wands ceremony. He said it was a mandatory thing for all competing champions or something" the boy said rushing through his message. He rather not get stunned for doing what he was asked to do.

Janette snorted in amusement and handed a twenty euro note Amelia who just gave her a satisfied look before releasing the stunner at one of the runes. The moment the spell hit the rune they all failed and fell out of existence since they were drawn with magic and the room shrank down to a large sitting area. "Lead the way boyo" she said grabbing Amelias arm and pulling her along as the boy seemed too eager to be out of wandsight of the white haired witch.

Inside the same hall where they were told about the first task date the four champions waited for whomever was to "weigh" their wands, whatever that meant. While Viktor Krum was rather broodingly staring out the window Cedric was giving a final polish to his wand. "You sure you don't want a little privacy while you polish your wand their Diggory? Public indency is as big a crime in the magical community as it the muggle" Amelia said with a sharp grin. Even with the huff and light glare she got from the boy, though he had an amused smirk on his lips at her joke, and Janette punching her shoulder in scold she could tell her humor was appreciated. Even the bulgarian snorted in what could be some measure of humor!

"We apologize terribly for the wait children. Last minute details to speak about concerning the ceremony came up and required a bit more time than we anticipated." Albus Dumbledore came into the hall flanked by Joyce, Igor, a rather old & short mousy man and two younger adults she had pinned as being in their mid to late thirties or early forties though the womans appearance might suggest otherwise it was the pairs old look in their eyes made her think so. "Allow me to introduce our wand expert who shall be inspecting your wands, Garrick Ollivander. He is Englands premier wand maker and wand historian."

Ollivander almost looked too pleased with Dumbledores praise and stepped forward to observe the four youths. "Quite curious as you told me Albus. Four competitors for the Tri-Wizard Tournament. And you" his eyes turned to Amelia "are the one who the goblet was confunded to somehow force you to compete."

"Old news like I used my knowledge of alchemy to destroy the goblet" Amelia said rolling her eyes. The glint of surpise in the mans eyes made her raise an eyebrow. She had assumed everyone knew and that someone like Dumbledore would tell the expert. "Can we just get this show on the road already? We still have a week to prepare for the task and I would be spending this time getting ready for it." Her tone was cross as she scowled at the mousy Ollivander who scowled back. Idly she noted the man and woman who came in with the school heads and Ollivander scowl rather darkly for some reason before the woman whispered something to the man as he shook his bead in what seemee to be...disappointment? Now she was confused but let it slide.

"I find myself agreeing Mr. Ollivander" Cedric said with a sigh. He still had no clue about what the task was but he knew it involved a creature of some sort. The day previous he had seen animal wranglers and tamers going into the forest guarded by Aurors so that told him they were fighting something but not what it was precisely. As much as he wanted to say that didn't worry him it djd. Fighting a magical creature was hard for teams of wizards let one since moet of them they knew about had hides that were either spell resistant or they reduced the damage by orders of magnitude meaning his current knowledge of offensive spells wouldn't cut it right now.

"Of course, of course." Ollivander took the boys first at the girls behest and made his inspections rather curt. While pleased to see a wand of his creation taken so greatly taken care, and laughing in spite of himself at the white haired witches offhand comment that Cedric was polishing it publicly before they got there, he was less than enthused about the Viktors wand. In fact it was like he had to bite his tongue to keep from saying anything far too negative before he gave it back after deeming it in condition to be used for the tournament. "Now for you ladies, which one of you is first?" he asked glancing to the two witches.

"I think that would be me. Saving the heart attack that is Amy for last is better for all of us" Janette said rolling her eyes and handed her wand over.

Taking the wand Ollivander turned it in his hands puzzling over it. "Thirteen inches and thirteen centimeters... Yew and maple.. Tell me, what is the core of your wand? I don't believe its one I recognize" he said turning his eyes back to the blonde witch. There was a feeling coming off it that it was familiar but he couldn't quite remember and it was quite the sensation he did not like.

"I would expect you not to recognize it, no offense meant. The core is made from a combination of threads taken from the shroud of a banshee steeped in Nundu blood" Janette said. There was shock played across not only Ollivanders but everyones faces, save Joyce and Amelia, making her eyes light up. She knew how rare the components of her wands core was and just to shock the hell out of people was worth it enough to tell them despite some idiots had tried to take her wand JUST to crack the casing to get the core materials. Of course they failed miserably every time they tried but still she thought it worth.

"Quite the powerful combination of core materials indeed" Ollivander said once his shock wore off and glanced to Albus. There was now more reason to watch the foreign witch during the tournament. Not only were the core materials rare and powerful but so was the wood combination. If girl died during tournament and the wand went 'missing' it would be a tragedy. A flick of the wand brough forth a vaguely dog shaped smoky apparation before deeming wand in condition for tournament. "Now for your wand Ms. Potte-"

Amelia had a tiny sinister smirk on her lips as willow-the-whisps of black flames floated dangerously close to Ollivanders face. "My name is Nightshade" she said with an icy tone. "And I don't use a wand. From a young age I was taught to harness wandless magic by mother. When I turned eleven and went to get my wand for school I was faced with a problem."

"No wand accepted her magic. It was too raw and controlled from years of using her own body as a medium" Joyce spoke up. "Her mother wrote an owl explaining to me the situation and I didn't want to believe Amelia was so accomplished at something most wizards or witches Dumbledores age can barely manage even most basic of charms with. Imagine my surprise when I went to speak with them both personally to voice my concerns and when I arrived at their home they were in the middle of a mock duel. Stinging hexes, stunners, shield charms, basic standard duel curses- all of them were being thrown around by Amelia wandlessly and with ease."

Albus grimaced internally at the information though he had a contemplative expression on his face outwardly. Accomplished at wandless magic at fifteen? There was no viable explanation for that! Wandless magic took years to practice to make the most simple spells able to be done. "That is most impressive to say the least but that makes us less..certain about how to proceed with you. Never in a recorded has a competitor competed without a focus."

Amelia snorted at the idea and glared at Janette for punching her shoulder. "Is your first response to everything I do around this old codger violence? I mean for the love of the Goddess we had to break it to not just boyo over there" she motioned to Cedric "but that brown haired girl with the red and gold tie twenty four people died in the tournament. I mean honestly, do you really expect me to believe he is actually worried about safety?" she asked. She noticed right away Joyce and Janette roll their eyes while they younger adult couple looked incredulously at the old wizard. "But I do have a focus, I just don't use it very often. Only for major spells like opening a rift in conjuction with my friend and partner War Witch. Its just not a wand, I destroyed six of them when I went wand shopping at eleven before the proprieter kicked me out of the shop for destroying her 'finest work'."

Ollivander looked just taken aback by the news and sharply looked at Amelia. "And the focus would be what precisely?" he sked.

Amelia held up her left hand revealing a ring situated on her pointer finger. "After a situation in magical Dublin where the lives of several magical creatures lives were in danger from escaped BRITISH Death Eaters" she glared darkly at Dumbledore "myself and two others were left a debt since those we saved were the children to the heads of the Goblin Nation, Dwarven Brotherhood of Ireland, the Fairy Court and High Elven Council who were there for a signing of treaty renewal. To repay the debt three rings were forged. Dwarven mithri bands that has been carved with Goblin reinforcement runes to make them indestructable as well as only tuned to be usable by us and our magic. The High Elven Council presented three of their highest grade Blood Diamonds to be for the stone. Last but not least the Queen of the Fairy Court blessed them with magic she would use for the swords of her knights or her sorceresses ceremonial staves."

Albus had to keep from frothing at the mouth. He had heard of the attack the year prior but to be subtly accused for it because of his machinations that the girl couldn't prove made him livid. "That is quite the claim" he said with a genial smile though his eyebrow twitched violently.

Rita Skeeter was having a field day to the least. She had expected there to be juicy bits of information to print but this Nightshade girl was a goldmine! Not to mention Bozo managed to capture Dumbledores as well as the Potters, why they were there she wasn't sure but she would find out!, reaction with his camera.

"Not a claim, the truth" Amelia said shrugging her shoulder. "Ask my headmistress or my fellow champion. I bear one, the headmistress wears one and my fellow fourth year partner wears the last. Its amazing what they do when you treat them like equals instead of mongrel animals to be controlled or put down like rabid mutts like your ministry is prone to doing."

Lily bristled internally but said nothing. The girls response was something she herself would say but outside of England most wizards or witches with any sense would say the same thing. "What is your name?" she asked. It was the only question needed to be answered and if James would not ask it she would.

Amelia rolled her eyes and offered Janette her hand. "Come Janette, we have much to do and less than a week to do so" she said making a come hither motion with her fingers. "Mr Dumbledore, we shall see you in a week for the first task. Headmistress, we bid you adieu." Both girls bowed their heads before the diamond glowed a dark shade of red with magic and quick motions of her hand etched runes into the air opening a breach. Pushing Janette through she followed and it collapsed once she was through.

Joyce chuckled mirthfully at the redheads unpleased expression. Not only did one of her apprenctices manage to get under one of the most notable Unspeakables skin without an effort, not to mention said Unspeakable was her own birth mother, but she ignored her completely making it worse for the woman. The man, she assumed the man was the womans husband and by that guess Amelias birth father, looked just as unpleased and shifted his gaze with the woman to her at the same time. "My apprentice chooses not to talk with unknown factors if she can avoid it" she said with a tiny smirk.

"All I asked was her name" Lily said crossly.

"Does it really matter Mrs Potter?" Joyce asked rocking forward in her boots. Leave it to Amelia to leave her fresh amusement in her wake. Perhaps she would get the girl a thank you gift for it. Seeing an Unspeakable so off her ball was worth it. Come to think of it she recalled seeing Amelia eyeing up a particularly expensive book about offensive wards the last trip the third years and above took a trip into magical Dublins equivalent of Diagon Alley.

"If she is who the headmaster said the goblet said she is, it does." Lilys eyes narrowed dangerously at the irish woman. She was playing with them, trying to get them mad she realized. She thought this was all a game! "It would matter a great deal. It could very well become an international issue for both magical Ireland and France so tell me who she is" she said all but demanding an answer.

"She already said her name is Nightshade. I wasn't aware the great Unspeakable Lily Potter was losing her hearing so young. Such a shame" Joyce said in a pitying tone. This only made Lily madder and force James to physically hold his wife back from attacking the irish headmistress.

"Enough Joyce, taunting the Potters is hardly a good presentation for your school" Albus said far from amused. "The goblet spit out Alexandrias name last night. Yet she destroyed the goblet in a rather alarming display of alchemy after all but nearly setting my beard of fire for calling her by the name you gave her Lily. Told me to call her by the name she has known all her life to this point, Amelia Nightshade." He paused letting the news sink in to the shocked pair of Potters. "The white haired young woman is your daughter though I do not know why she does not look like either of you."

James was the first to recover out of his shock. His mind had snapped to the night of the attack on their home and the spell to get their daughter to safety with her godfather Sirius but the married couple had rushed the spell and their child disappeared completely somewhere unknown. The search after the attack had been spared no expense but no result had turned any trace of her anywhere in England, magical or muggle. "You're absolutely certain shes our daughter Albus?" he asked, a shadow of hope coloring his tone.

Instead of answering Dumbledore passed over the two sheets of parchment. He saw Lilys eyes widen and water as she clutched the parchment like a lifeline.

"My baby girl is alive" Lily whispered quietly. Her eyes turned to James showing him the parchment -Alexandria Marie Potter~ Beauxbatons- and saw his eyes widen as well. "Our girl is alive James." A watery smile spread across her lips.

"Dont count on her accepting you as family, she already has one. A mother who raised and adopted her, cousins she grew up, aunts and uncles who spoil her. You're nothing but strangers to her" Joyce said walking away. "Oh and Dumbledore, how I act is a perfect representation of my school. The society here in England could learn a thing or two from us, get with the times as it were. Get rid of your blood purity bullshit propaganda limiting jobs for people who arent from all magical bloodlines and award jobs based on merit as well as qualifications. The magical world is cut throat and cruel to witches because of men like you who do nothing to fight for our equal treatment when you have the position to do so, I teach my students that. Take advantage of anothers weakness to ensure you do not get taken advantage of is lesson one in my institution. Your first great war here with your former lover Grindelwald should have taught you that." In a flash Joyce was gone leaving the Potters, Dumbledore, Cedric and the bulgarians.

"Well, let us retire to office. Im quite certain you both would prefer a seat to fully digest what you have learned and seen here today" Dumbledore said ushering James and Lily off.

-The Keep-

Janette huffed as she landed on her ass once she exited the breach. "Be a little easy could ya? I know we need to train hard to survive the dragon but does that involve dropping me on my ass?" she asked wiping the dirt off with a hand.

"Janette, for the next six days I am going to work you into the ground hoping to the Goddess you are still as quick a study as you as you were when we were together. The magic is complex even in its most basic form and it requires you to undergo a ritual to be able to use it. So get your bitching out now because for the next six days you are going to be calling me mistress because THIS" a large shadow of pure magic in the form of a dragon rose up behind Amelia "is my families magic. I am making you family by doing a sibling blood adoption ritual as the matriarchal head of House Evans, the House of Dragon Priests and Dragon Slayers."

Every Irish magical was familiar with the Evans bloodline, the masters and mistresses of the Dragon Cult, once revered for brokering a peace between wizards and dragons before a dark lord mucked it all up. Janettes family had long been a vassal clan to House Evans, an honor and a privilege in its own right but with what was going to come, to be bled into the House, was no higher honor.

"We have too much to do and not enough time to do so" Amelia said briskly pacing to the school entrance and tapped the runes to let them in. "Chop chop, the ritual with take two hours already and four for your body to adjust!"

Janette nearly tripped over her own feet hurrying after Amelia. Six hours to do the ritual and settle the effects, it would cut shorter their already short prep time. "What would you have me do mistress?" she asked as they made into the ritual room. As Amelia set up the runes she would need on the stone floor with fast precise hand movements she anxiously stood off to the side.

"Brew the potion on the table over there. The potion cabinet has all the supplies you'll need. In addition fill a vial with your blood and stopper it before placing it in stasis to preserve the freshness, or save that step for last. I'll need a vial of fresh blood from you to make the ritual work. Better leave the vial of blood for last, it'll take you half an hour to brew the potion and me nearly as long to carve all the runes I'll need" Amelia said not stopping in her work.

It would be just under seven hours laters before either girl left the ritual room but many students shuddered as the screams of agony escaped even the strongest silencing wards Amelia threw up before the ritual began.

-Dumbledores office-

James watched Lily pace and had to fight the urge to yank her into the seat beside him. She hadnt stopped pacing or let go of the parchment since they entered Albus' office. Having enough, really a man can only stand so much scuffing of shoes transferring between stone or carpet so much, he yanked his wife onto his lap. "Lils, we'll figure something out. Shes our flesh and blood. She has to accept us as family, she is our daughter after all" he said trying to soothe his frazzled wife.

Lily glanced between the two men and said nothing. As much as she loved James, and that was quite a lot, she knew he was too optomistic. "Of course dear, whatever you say" she said trying to placate him. Her mind drifted back to Amelia, Alexandria her mind rebuffed, and was back to wondering why she was so radically different in looks. 'Blood adoption ritual' she thought. It was the only idea to come to her that made sense to why their daughter had no looks from James and barely anything of her.

"Lemon drop for your thoughts Lily" Albus inquired working his polite grandfatherly persona.

"Our girl. Shes nothing like us." Lily shook her head. "Nothing like her younger brother either" she said thinking to hers and James second child, a ravenclaw boy a year younger than Alexandria was. Unlike his elder sister Michael James Potter was the spitting image of both Potter parents with James' unruly black hair and love of flying & her green eyes as well his unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

If only Lily or James Potter had a true shred of an idea to just how different their daughter truly was from them. Maybe if they did they'd understand the dread filling their soul at the same time that Amelia sibling adopted Janette though they had no way to know it happened, only that at the same time a dread filled them as chills ran down their spines.

* * *

(One week later, day of the first task- champion tent)

Amelia grimaced as she waited for hers and Janettes chance to pick their dragons, her eyes briefly landing on the pacing blonde. Despite her initial thoughts she had given her, now, sister the very basest training to be a Slayer instead of a Priestess; the dragon killer instead of the peace broker. While she herself possessed the training for both, she was no master of the skills by any measure and had a lot of room to improve, it was clear to her that the muscle definition the ritual left on Janette she was meant to be a Slayer and not a Priestess. "Stop pacing like that. Remember your pride as a Slayer" she. said gripping Janettes arm.

This action caused Janette to snap of her thoughts and turn her gaze to Amelia. At her insistence she had managed to convince the younger girl to match their outfits for the task. Dressed in mid back length leather jackets with faux white fur collars, leather pants with three belts buckled around the left leg above the knee, a white tank top and two belts crossing the at the waist forming an X with a leather drop over their waists trimmed in same white faux fur they fit the part of a traditional Slayer outfit with minimal modificiation after pouring over the archive. "Sorry, just going over the tactics and spells in my head is all" she said in a sheepish tone. Her nervous energy was clear as she took a seat and wrung her hands out silently. She was still beyond nervous to face a live dragon but the harsh training that Amelia put her through would hopefully keep her alive like she promised. "I know you already promised but if I should fail"

"Stop it right there" Amelia cut Janette off with a sharp look. "You will NOT fail. We will survive this and we will go home together. Do you understand me?" she asked.

"I do and I believe you but we have to prepare for everything when it involves a dragon. Even the possibility of our own death and you know that Amy" Janette said shoot her own sharp look. "In case I fail, in case I die... I want you to preside over my last rights. You are the matriarch of the family, you are my sister. Send me off right if I dont make it. Viking funeral as our family has done for centuries. Promise me if it comes to that, you'll do it for me" she asked quietly as she grasped Amelias hand.

Amelias softened knowing Janette was right. There were too many variables to account for with live dragons and even her own hopeful encouragement that they would make it out alright was hot air until they proved it true. Imagining herself presiding over her sisters funeral made her heart clench but they were the last of the family as far as she knew, she was duty and honor bound as the head of the family to preside if it did happen. "If it happens I promise I will but only if you do the same if I fall. If that happens I pass my title, the head of house ring and the family vault key to you. I wouldnt trust the family to anyone less than my sister" she said squeezing back gently. "If it looks bad out there Im giving you permission to activate these." Her free tapped the runes tattooed on the back of Janettes hands. "With your current base level of control you have two minutes before it gets dangerous for you and you have to cut the flow to them. Use them only as a resort out there."

Janette nodded her head slightly with a grim look entering her eyes. Six days of non-stop training in the schools Timeless Chamber, a mysterious training facility in the heart of school that Amelia and Sara spent the last few years training with the headmistress in, had been a blessing and a curse. For every day they trained in the chamber they reaped nearly double the reward, the rune and charm work made the user(s) seemingly step into a self contained world where time went by twice as fast meaning the six days of training was essentially a solid twelve, at double the strain on their bodies and magic. Being drilled in the very simplest of Slayer branch magic was killer on her reserves because it not only drains so much due to the strength of the spells but how precise she has to be with it due to dragon physiology. "I was only going to use them as a last resort even if you didnt give permission. Better to ask forgiveness than ask permission right?" she asked with a cheeky wink trying to lighten the mood.

Amelia chuckled and pushed Janettes shoulder breaking the tense atmosphere around them. "Cheeky bitch" she said as she shook her head. Pausing for a moment she pulled out a case and presented it to the blonde. "Keep this on you from now on. Every Slayer before us had one on their person at all times and I damn well trained you to use one well enough. Well enough as I can in twelve days." The surprise that colored Janettes face as she took in the jet black finish revolver made her smile a little. "The runes on the cylinder are linked to the armory at the ancestral castle so the ammo will reload automatically when you run out. Try not to go over two complete cylinders if you can, four shots can cripple and five can put down a dragon prince according to the archives or so the records say."

Janette hugged Amelia tightly for a moment before kissing her cheek repeatedly. "Best little sister ever" she teased between kisses to Amelias cheek. She grinned slightly at the whining protest and stopped once the sound of approaching footsteps outside the tent. The moment Bagman and Crouch entered followed by the schools heads she tucked the revolver in the back pant loop.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Im sure you are all curious what your task will be." Bagman peered around at the champions and lost a bit of the hyper energy noticing the two Keep girls looks bored out of their skulls while the boys held a semblance of curiosity. "I have here the key to your task in this bag" he said waving a purple bag. "Your task is to get the golden egg from what you retrieve in this bag."

Cedric stepped up first and reached in pulling a model of an irate looking Welsh Green dragon. Krum walked up next and pulled out a snarling model of a Swedish Short Snout. When the girls walked up they reached in at the same time and instead of pulling out separate models they pulled out two models joined on one singular base of a Hungarian Horntail and a Chinese Fireball at each others throats. This not only raised their own eyebrows but the other champions. "Alright, who the hell is explaining this?" Amelia asked.

'This feels too intentional to be a coincidence' Janette thought to herself. She was never a big believer in coincidence before she met Amelia and after being inducted into House Evans she it believed even less after the brief stint in the family archive between their days in the Timeless Chamber.

"Luck of the draw it would seem to be ladies" Barty Crouch sr said. He knew better that it was no such thing. His lord had ordered the blonde girl eliminated to throw the Potter girl off her rocker after it was revealed by the goblet of fire she was still alive. "Twice the dragons to deal with but since you both attend the same school it would be your benefit since you presumptively know how to work together. Nown the numbers around your models neck is the order you will be entering the arena. Mr Krum you will go first followed by Mr Diggory and last but not least" his eyes turned to the two girls who snapped the base in half separating the dragon models who were now snarling at them "you two Ms McNamara and Ms Nightshade. Any questions?" he asked.

"Jus von" Viktor said looking between his model dragon and the tournament staff, his bulgarian accent color his speech. "Ven do I start?"

Ludo was poised to answer when the sound of a canon went off and the sound of an announcer introducing Viktor. "The sound of the canon marks the start and completion of the task. Now shoo, you're up Mr. Krum!" the black and yellow clad wizard said excitedly.

Amelia conjured a black flame and burned her her model to ash before taking a seat. "Its a good thing we practiced fighting together huh" she said rhetorically as she pulled Janette back into her previous seat. "Our big concern in the Horntail, the spiked tail is as much a threat as either dragons fire breath. We should divide and conquer, I'll distract the Fireball long enough for you to get your egg and run back here provided the Horntail doesn't try to take the fight to us right away."

Janette nodded keeping a watchful eye on the tent entrance and Cedric clear on the opposite side of the of the tent consulting Dumbledore for last moment advice. "Sound plan but no unnecessary risk getting the egg from the Horntail got it? You might have more control of the magics and the headship of the family but Im still your older sister. Your safety is as important to mine. I mean it too, Sara would never let me hear the end of it if you got hurt one hair more than you had to" she said digging a finger into Amelias ribs.

"Yes dear. Whatever you say dear" Amelia said rolling her eyes. A hard pinch made her glare hard at Janette and dig her own finger in the blondes side. "I got it, no over the top shit. Sheesh, we only dated for six months and here I thought you would be used to my sarcasm." Mismatched eyes met purple and she saw Janette relax. "We'll make it through this no doubt if we take you out of the equation as soon as possible and who knows, if the dragons piss me off enough by managing to hurt me I may just kill them both. I need new dragon hide boots and gloves, how about you?" she asked.

"I could use a dragon hide vest and I've heard either Horntail or Fireball hide makes for quite a comfy yet effective piece of kit. If they do hurt ya and you end up killing them both you could probably make enough for everyone traveling with us. Not to mention the fortune you'd make harvesting the corpses for both wand and potions ingredients" Janette said retrieving the revolver and spinning the cylinder noting the ammo type. "And theres not a damn the english idiots could do to stop you."

"How so?"

"ICW law, Right of Conquest. Any person who kills a magical creature is entitled to the corpse and there is nothing an outside witch or wizard can do to stop you from doing as you damn please with it. Technically it applies to wizards and witches too if you happen to defeat or kill a head of house. You could present the case to Gringotts and after the goblins verify it with a test of blood you could fold all monetary assets from the conquered house into your own. Money, artifacts etc" Janette said non-chalantly.

Silence fell over them til it was finally time for their go. "Remember the plan" Amelia said sternly before they ran out at canon sounding.

* * *

If there was one thing Albus Dumbledore and the Potters, James Lily and Michael all together, were not expecting it would fall under the unknown chaos happening below. Between the first task changes, the ministry organizers changed tbe task forcing both Alexandria and Janette to face BOTH dragons together instead of separately, and the anxiety forcing the elders of foursome in the box to sit on the edge of their seats while poor Michael was at best feeling angsty for the sister he had never met. The ordeal started out perfectly fine, as fine as dodging twin streams of dragon fire could be counted as fine anyway. Then the blonde haired witch got grazed by a stream making her clutch her burned arm. After that there was nothing as Alexandrias body vibrated with magic and a black shell formed around the arena. The exchange of spell fire and roars continued for minutes before a sickeningly wet squelching sound filled the air. Despite all his years and experiences Albus had never felt such malevolent magic so dense before as he felt it oozing in crash waves off the black dome as Aurors tried to break into it with little result.

If you asked any dragon handler they would tell you that a dragons roar can be broken into two separatw types. The first one is that is associated with battle, a war cry before they engage in combat. The other is one of posturing during mating season; the louder and deeper a roar the more a male had a chance to attract a stronger mate and have stronger hatchlings. The roars that escaped the dome was bone chilling to all who heard that it stopped everyone dead in their tracks. It was more primal than anger and a mothers fury. More primal than even the need to fight that made dragons so dangerous in the first place. No, this roar was one of raw unbridled fear.

By the time the dome fell and the Aurors jumped into the arena many were losing the contents of their stomach. Both the dragons were massacred, no more giant corpses full of gaping holes, and every single egg was destroyed with the hatchlings massacred as well. What made most the sickest was not the dead dragons or their hatchlings, most considered the reptiles a pest and common sentiment was the only good dragon is a dead dragon or chained up in Gringotts, but just what the white haired witch held so fragilely in her arms. Held like a porcelain doll in Amelias grasp was Janette, a massive hole the size of a dragon claw through where her stomach should have been. It was obvious to everyone the girl was going to die, she was losing too much blood too quickly from the gaping wound. Even if a healer did manage save it her they would have to be a Light Mage and use theSanctus Vitualamen spell to sacrifice their life to save Janette.

"Come on Jane, keep on talkin to me" Amelia said tapping Janettes face gently to keep her awake. She could feel the mass of people converging on them but she paid them no heed. "You'll be ok hun. When we get home we'll have that threesome with Amanda ok? Just... Just keep your eyes open and talk to me til the headmistress gets here with the healer." Her eyes watered as Janette coughed up a dangerous amount of blood up. How had the enchantments on the clothes failed?! They were warded to protect AGAINST dragons! Fire and physical attacks! "Jane? Come on, say something please." There was a presence about touch her and then she felt it. Janettes heart stopped and her pulse disappeared under her fingers.

Joyces eyes widened in horror as the british Aurors body lost its head under the mighty blast from the revolver in Amelias hand. Spotting that her apprentices eyes were blood red and demonically slit like the dead dragons around her the older witch knew they had a very serious situation on their hands. She could tell Janette was dead and that left them one option to do. Grabbing Saras hand she apparated them to the arena. "Emergency wards Omega now! DO NOT let them fail or people will die!"

Sara erected the wards in the blink of an eye, her own closed to maintain concentration as Joyce cautiously approached Amelia. To be a War Witch was dangerous since the very nature of their craft sacrificed control for raw destructive power. To be a War Witch meant you had to be in control of your emotions and magic at all times so you didn't hurt those you love. Amelia however, she was a special case that made it more dangerous for her to be a War Witch. The dragon blood carried in the veins of those born to the house of Evans made them very dangerous emotional people. Emotions like love, anger, fear, unbridled rage powered their most powerful and destructive spells much the same way War Witches are taught to be effective in open ground for area of effect strikes. Being hit double like that Amelia had to keep an ungodly control of herself at all times and it was dangerous for her to let her emotions run rampant. If Joyce couldn't calm Amelia down or knock her out people could very well die.

* * *

A/N 1: SO LOVELY READERS! Yes, longer chapter than before since I finally have reliable internet again and don't have to rely on the FF app to post less than 2K word chapters. Honestly I wasn't happy with them, I know most everyone else wasn't, but it was all I had to work with. No more! Long chapters from now on for all my stories from now on so rejoice! Thoughts reviews and questions are welcome but I wonder if anyone spotted the little foreshadow hints I dropped into the chapter? Anyway, the next Lord Nightshade chapter is almost done so that should be up within the week. Oh, just as a general question for those who ponder it- who would you like to Amelia with romantically? Personally I planned for a romantic relationship to be in from the get go and a good idea who with but tossed a wrench in any perception by bringing up purposefully a past relationship with another girl to make people who assume she would be straight as an arrow. Call it a writers curiosity but let me know if you want either in pm with your thoughte on the story so far or in a review.

A/N 2: yea, i used Squalls FF8 outfit minus the Griever necklace and lion head belt buckle as their battle outfit to face the dragons for those who dont get the reference. The get up is one that was used by Evans Slayers since they are warded to repel dragon attacks but they are not infallible.


	6. Devotions and weariness

Important a/n: the first part of this chapter follows in the same time as just before & during the time when the girls fight their dragons but moves on after. Just a heads up to keep people from scratching their heads since this starts out from the perspective of a different character whose name shall not be revealed til its relevant. Be nice and don't spoil who it is if you figure it out.

* * *

If there was one thing she did not like was rising in the morning. Despite her usually chipper attitude the morning sunlight glaring into her eyes, her very sensitive eyes, first thing in the morning was the very first thing on her shit list just above gossip mongers and liars. After her silent cursing of the sun she stood with a yawn and slipped out of the bed with a cat like stretch. Taking in the marks on her body, scars from childhood play and what looked suspiciously like claw scars, she pondered for the first time that day if her vision would finally come true. Not days before the announcement of the Tri-Wizard Tournament she had been locked in a vision where she had seen her in all her glory. Dark, destructive and unafriad of blood- The Dragoness who would herald her clans return to their homeland. The filthy muggles had driven the knights, her family one of the knight families, away centuries ago from their native irish soil and if her visions were true to life then their return would come again and The Dragoness in her vision would be the trumpeting horn. "Come on! The other schools are going to be here any minute!" The excited babble of her housemates made her snort.

Dressed quickly in her robes she made her way down amongst the crowd and was rather thankful for her status in her house. Given most of them were reclusive and living stereotypes of the Ravenclaw bookworm reputation she managed to escape a lot of uncomfortable situations and those she couldn't avoid quickly learned she possessed a Slytherin cruelty to back up her Ravenclaw intelligence. The arrival of the Durmstrang students really didn't interest her at all despite many girls, and creepily enough more than a few boys, began to swoon over Viktor Krum as he passed by with the Highmaster Igor something or other after the two elder wizards greeted each other. Her attention was focused entirely on the distortion that filled the air before young men and women walked across the surface of the water behind their headmistress like deities.

"Finish it girls."

She blinked before her heart both fluttered and stopped a moment later as two girls stepped through the distortion. The blonde was of no real consequence to her but the white haired witch, the sight of her made an unnoticed hungering gleam fill her eyes. The Dragoness was here and she did not fail to impress as the raw magic was manipulated into what she thought appeared to be a black version of blue bell flames though something told her that they were far more sinister & were capable of far more harm. Throughout the feast she noticed the white haired witch seemed to be rather cautious of her surrounding and even scanned her food for potions or spells, something that earned her confused looks from younger students and dirty ones from older ones. She personally didn't blame the girl, cheating was an open secret with the Tri-Wizard Tournament and previous hosting schools had poisoned potential champions with mild concotions to weaken them before champion selections to give themselves an upper hand so erring on the side of caution was good in her book. The bigger question in her mind, for the moment, revolved around the girls use of alchemy so candidly and with ease. Alchemy was one of the more esoteric branches and she made a show out of wielding it so effectively to not just make a table for her school and Durmstrang to sit at but also decorate both halves to appease the respective schools WHILE the transmutation created the table itself. The number of people in the world with alchemy masteries or proficiencies could be counted on one hand and the witch slung the art around like a muggle yo-yo.

The next time her eyes laid on the witch was the next night feast to select the tournament champions. Cedric was chosen for Hogwarts, Viktor for Durmstrang and some girl named Janette for The Dragoness' school. For a moment she pouted though it went unmissed by the rest of her house. Then the unthinkable happened. A fourth name was called from a fourth ejected piece of parchment.

"Alexandria Potter!"

Her eyes trailed the furious white haired witch and watched in awe as she destroyed the goblet the of fire with an unknown, to her, form of magic before stomping out to where the other competitors lay waiting. Four champions in a tournament meant for three? There was foul play afoot and she was certain it was based around The Dragoness but she could not prove it. After that night the girl was a ghost or as damn near to one as was humanly possibly. sometimes she took her meals in the Great Hall but mors often than not it would be days between meals she'd actively see the girl for more than a moment glances in the hall entrenched in deep or grim conversation with her schoolmates in gaelic.

Having decided keeping an active eye on the object of her obsession she chose a more subtle approach to her problem and for the first time in a long time broke out her mothers scrying mirror. Despite being less talented than her mother in the practice it would suffice for what it was needed to do. She didn't need to be intimately aware of the older witches progress to the tournament task but just enough to know she would make it out alive. Needless to say that her efforts were for naught as by the time she had gotten around to this method by Alexandria, or should she listen and call her Amelia as she so viciously chew out the goblet prior to its destruction and Dumbledore, and the other champion were gone. For an unknown reason this equally gave her hope and worried her since she had sniffed out the other Potter family members poking around for information ever since the champion selection. "Keeping an ear to the ground while they're gone and the Potters run around with their heads cut off is the best option I have" she muttered as her mental projection settled back into her body ending the scrying session, her normally kind eyes hard and stony.

Come the day of the task a hard stone developed in the pit of her stomach. Something was wrong, terribly terribly wrong and she could feel it in the air. "I have a bad feeling about today" she said to herself. Normally she could dismiss such negative emotions since some people never learned and she had to teach some people a basic lesson repeatedly, not that their peers believed it when the injured party reported what happened, but the stone and negative feelings persisted even with her reigning in her occlumency shields consciously.

"Join Trelawney for a grim party then" an older Ravenclaw girl sneered. "No one wants negative energy on a day when the first task of the tournament is about."

"And that negative energy isn't negative when its due concern" she sneered back with a fang like canine flashing and her eyes flashing a dangerous molten bronze for the briefest of moments. "People die in this blood sport. People lose limbs or get so mangled beyond repair that not even magic can put them back together again. Did you know people QUIT USING MAGIC ENTIRELY because of the trauma they endured in this tournament?" Her sneer became fierce grasping the witch by her robes and hoisted her off the floor menacingly. "Still think my negative energy is unwarranted you conniving little bint?" she asked with such malice the girl actually whimpered in fear and pissed herself a little. Throwing her to the floor she pressed on from the tower to the arena hoping the negative feelings was simply nevous anxiety.

Cedric and Krums displays left a lot to be desired in her opinion even if the crowds thought otherwise. Cedrics trick with transfiguration to distract his dragon long enough to steal the egg was simple. Transfiguring some of the arena rocks into a horde of rock dragons to incite the nesting mother was as dangerous as it was simply ingenius. Krums combination of brute force & flying was just piss poor considering his broom was snapped. She could say there would most certainly be deductions because his strategy destroyed the real dragon eggs and his litany of injuries but she summed his performance up as she summed him up, brutish.

When she saw the dragon handlers brought the remaining two dragons in at the same time her heart froze in fear as the collective audience gasped realizing the same thing she did. "They're going to force them both to compete at the same time" she said through a trembling breath. Facing one angry dragon was dangerous enough. Facing an angry nesting mother was uber dangerous. For them to put TWO angry nesting mothers in an arena with their clutches and expect both girls to get the golden egg...

"They want them to die."

Sharp molten bronze orbs glared at the girls beside her who was too absorbed in their attempts to stop their own trembling. If the tournament organizers truly wished that on The Dragoness they would be in for a rude awakening before they were violently murdered. The first few minutes of the bout were fine til a sudden black shell encompassed the arena making her anxiety skyrocket. When she heard the squelch she was on her feet first trying to get a better view of what happened before the unthinkable sounds of a slaughter filled the arena. Unlike everyone else the sight of the massacre didn't bother her as she like the Aurors apparated, well the Aurors apparated while she used a spell of her mothers invention similar to apparition, into the arena. Seeing the blonde witch cradled so fragilely in Amelias arms her heart went out to the white haired witch before a stunning revelation hit her. Being quite sensitive to magic output because of her family line she could feel the witches magical core still on the mortal coil. The blonde witch was still alive! Even after the Auror was murdered by the now red eyed witch and the irish headmistress commanded another irish witch to erect unknown wards while advancing on the distressed younger witch she kept approaching the now erected wards despite the interference trying to stop her. Jerking her gaze to a female Auror who grabbed her shoulder she smirked coldly as she watched the woman fly into a wall without her lifting a finger. "I know you do not know who I am but if you want your blonde friend to live I am your best shot at it. Her vitals are flatlined but her magical core is fighting to fix the damage from being pierced" she said in perfect gaelic shocking many in the arena. "She does not have enough magic on her own and in her current emotional state The Dragoness is far from being on any level usable to help her."

Saras eyes snapped open making the ward faulter for a moment, a moment the stranger took to her advantage and pass through the weakness. "Who are you? How do you know Amel-"

"The Farseekers were more than just one branch of the Irish Royal Knights before we were driven out by those filthy heathenistic Christian muggles" she snarled darkly. Approaching the two downed women she saw the irish headmistress kept at bay with the revolver held by wandless magic in the air pointed at her. "Peace Dragoness." Her features held a forced calm as she kept moving forward despite the cocking of the hammer. "Your friend is still alive."

"You lie! Her heart has stopped and theres no pulse! My sister is dead so stop lying to me!" Amelia snarled with unrestrained rage. She wanted Janette to be alive but all the proof was before her to say otherwise- no pulse, no heartbeat, she wasn't breathing.

"The physical signs are there to say shes dead." The bullet missed her head by inches but she persisted. "I can feel her magical core fighting to repair the damage but its weak. She doesn't have enough magic by herself to keep her body in a state of self-stasis so that it can fix itself. If she doesn't get magic from someone who knows how to heal one of us" she stressed the last three words "she really will die." She stopped when the barrel of the revolver was pressed against her chest right where her heart was located.

Amelia could feel the raw anger as it turned to deep fear as the prickling of her senses that felt ambient magic while she performed element pick up on Janettes rapidly shrinking core. This girl was an outsider but her magic was so similiar to her own that she wasn't thinking straight. It possessed the same wildness and draconian energy that it made her wonder if she found family that had been cast out by foolish ancestors. Her gaze tremored as the revolver fell to the ground, the hammer re-cocked to be safe and she laid Janette on the ground. Slit crimson eyes met molten bronze as tears swam unshed. "Save my sister and the House of Evans will owe you a great debt stranger. Money, land whatever your price but please please save her life" she pled quietly.

The whole plea was lost on her ears as her eyes closed and her hands were placed above Janettes body, one hovering over her heart and the other over her wounded abodmen. "Her seat is the Throne of Creation. Her Benelovence gave us form from the mud of obscurity. Her Grace granted us life, free will and the gift of free thought from the shadows of nothing." Her voice became trancelike as magic swirled around her and the injured witch, the influx of magic turning her hair silver as her body acted like a conduit arcing the magic through her into Janette. Unbelievably, for the colliseum audience watching anyway, the gaping wound began to close rapidly. "We beseech you fair Goddess, heal your child. Spare her this ealy rest to fulfill her fate written by your hand in stars!" Much like a muggle crash cart a high voltage shock hit Janette once the wound healed and the vortex refilled the blondes core shocking her awake.

Amelia was nervous watching the wound heal as she bit her nails. This was old magic. Not only was it old magic but this was Devout Magic. Given what it was she now more nervous than she was moments since it was one of only two distinct realities: one, she made a deal with unknown family or two she made a deal with the metaphorical devil. Seeing Janette bolt upright clutching at her chest from the shock she pushed the thought aside and immediately drew the blonde into her arms before smacking her once across the face. "Thats for going against the plan!" she said before clutching her tightly and as closely as possible. "I told you to get out as soon as you got your egg, not die for me." Tears of relief soaked into Janettes shirt as Amelia let them fall. "Never do that again, promise me."

Despite the sting in her cheek Janette was at a loss. The last thing she remembered was getting her egg and diving for the exit before being speared through by a massive talon, trying to comfort Amelia while hacking up huge amounts of bloods and gushing it out through her wound and then nothing. She should have died from that so how was she still alive? "I'm sorry Amy, you do stupid things when it comes to the people you love being in danger" she whispered weakly with an even weaker smile. "How am I still alive? I thought I would be a goner for sure." She felt so tired and the wamrth radiating off Amelia was so inviting as her eyes began to droop.

"She saved your life" Amelia said softly turning so Janette could see the face of her guardian angel responsible for keeping her on this side of the veil. Garbed in now slightly tattered robes, the vortex of magic shredded the material a touch at the waist and up her sides hinting at her curves, with a Ravenclaw colored tie the girls hairwas returning to its normal shade of bright platinum blonde as her breath came in pants while the excess magic from the spell drained into the earth making her collapse onto her hands and knees. When molten copper eyes gave way to silver she stumbled over as Joyce lifted the girl into her arms and checked her over with a diagnostic spell. "She gonna be ok Joyce?" she asked worriedly

"Magical exhaustion but she'll be ok with some rest and restorative potions. We should get you two looked over though. Make sure you didn't get hurt too bad" the headmistress said. Sara dropped the wards once they were safely in the medical tent being tended to by frantic medi-witches and the remains of the dragons, the egg pieces and the dragon hatchlings were disappeared by her family magic; the dragon corpses were Amelias anyways so it wasn't like the british could do anything since the Right of Conquest law made it clear as day.

"Lets go in order of least to worst injured. Ms Lovegood" the lead medi-witch motioned to the unconscious blonde Ravenclaw tied witch "is magically exhausted due to whatever spell she used to heal Ms McNamara to keep her on this side of the veil. Beyond calling it a miracle the spell Ms Lovegood used on you not only healed your wounds and regrew the organs lost in the process of being pierced by the claw she refilled your magical core from hitting empty so that it didn't kill you. She actually enlarged it if my scans are accurate. Your current fatigue is delayed shock combined with your body forcing itself to adjust so quickly to having a larger magic core. Those dragon burns you obtained show no signs of ever having been there."

Joyce took this all in while the woman ranted about Amelias injuries being the worst with lacerations and burns that would require weeks of religiously applying salves to get rid of. Dismissing the medi-witches she saw both her students climb, with difficulty, onto the bed the younger witch was sleeping upon and curl up beside her.

"You saved the life of my sister and my friend. Thank you is not enough to repay the debt neither of us owe you but its a good start so thank you" Amelia said softly and kissed the blondes forehead. "Sara, what did she say to you to get through the ward? After mistress ordered the erecting of the omega wards absolutely no one should have gotten in."

Sara had the decency to look embarrassed as she twiddled her thumbs and looked to her lap. "She surprised me by telling me if we wanted Janette to live she was the best shot at it. In perfectly fluent gaelic. She called herself a Farseeker and you The Dragoness. Said something about the Irish Royal Knights being driven out by muggles and her family being one of the knight families."

Three sharp intakes of air filled the room as the other three womens eyes turned to the unconscious blonde between Amelia & Janette. Joyce and Amelia were more concerned about the fact that the girl identified herself a Farseeker, a cousin clan to House Evans that descended from what was modernly dubbed Seers and extraordinary healers, while Janette who wasn't as privy to all the small details about what made House Evans so dangerous in tbe past yet was suspicious of the girls claim to be descendant of a Royal Knight. Similar to Britains Arthurian Round table and its knights, the Irish Royal Knights were once protectors of Eire. Cast out nearly two thousand years ago because of heritical Christian heathens renouncing the Old Gods and traditions the knights were forced to scatter from their homeland. If the bloodlines still lived then there was reprocussions to be dealt if the girl ever stepped foot on irish soil. "You're certain she called herself a Farseeker and her family one of the Knight bloodlines" Joyce said firmly.

"Yes mistress, no doubts what so ever. Her snarl about 'heathenistic Christian muggles' left little room for misinterpretation when she said and I quote 'The Farseekers were more than just one branch of the Irish Royal Knights before we were driven out by those filthy heathenistic Christian muggles'. Not for nothing but she did the same freaky thing Amelia did to me when I first met her and tossed a female Auror into the arena wall with wandless magic. Quite hard too if the cracking bone I heard as she hit the ground and the body imprint in the stone were indicators" Sara said.

Luna groaned feeling a warmth on either side of her and tried to move only to find she couldn't. Pushing down the worry she opened one eye and saw with blurry vision the four irish witches conversing rapidly in hushed tones. "If you could get off me I can answer your questions" she said with a hiss feeling a joint crack and relax in her shoulder.

Amelia and Janette shared a look before pulling away from the smaller blonde. "I shoulde hope so. Claiming descent of a Royal Knight and a Farseeker are very serious claims. Claims one would be risking theirs lives making without being able to prove then" Janette said speaking for them since she was the more political of the two.

Luna groaned mentally and palmed her face. Goddess and Odin above, why did they want to talk about that after only waking up? There were far more serjous things at hand they needed to be aware of! The dangers of the other tasks she had seen in her visions, as vague as they were, and the dangers presented by the Potter family if what she had heard was true were just two at the top of things that came to mind. "I can back up my claims but I would rather make that a conversation for a private place where we could ensure privacy charms would keep the wrong people would not hear. Not anyone from my school, not the media and certainly not the Potter family! You two face a lot more danger than you realize with the upcoming tasks and you will need my help. Forget the debt you promised me for saving shiskabob over on my left-"

"I resent that!" Janette said with an angry twitching eyebrow.

Luna looked a bit peeved at being interrupted and turned her head slowly, silver eyes rimmed in bronze as she glared at Janette. "And until I saved your life you RESEMBLED it sugar tits, shut up and listen to me. Let me help and I'll dismiss the debt. Family doesn't owe debt to each other cousin" she said once her eyes landed back on Amelia, her pupils dilated to dragon slits like the white haired witches had been when she thought Janette dead.

Amelia held a hand up to stop Janettes irate response and leaned in toward Luna. Her eyes flashed a bright slit gold, the natural form of her eyes when she used any of her dragon abilities granted by her bloood, and took a good look at her. The girls aura was tamer than her own, the magic pulsing through her veins was still just as wild & draconian like her previous look, even looking in her eyes she could see The Crest mentioned by the last family head. Shy of having a blood test done to confirm what she knew from the journals and archives said to look for at a persons magic to verify they were kin, the blonde witch was family. "Alright, we'll talk more after I get my score."


	7. Frustrations, plots and Ball Belles

Perched on her bed Amelias scowl deepened as she launched the text in her hands violently at the wall. The crash and bang alerted a handful of her fellow Keep students to rush in before wisely getting the hell out of dodge ducking under the vicious curses escaping her pointed finger. Ever since her, Luna, Janette, Joyce and Saras conversation days prior the atmosphere around her was hard to be around. Her anger, usually only rarely volatile unless given provocation, was off the charts after the seeds of Lunas warning bore fruit. Albus Dumbledore, flanked by the two younger adults she spotted at the wand weighing and a boy that looked to be near her age as well as a mix of the two adults not the wizened elder wizard, thought it was smart to try to corner her after the scores were given and it didn't turn out well. If it wasn't for Janette keeping her in check she would have killed the old man for his bullshit and crippled the two adults who made demands of her. Who did they think they were!

A cough interrupted her thoughts as she glanced up spotting a nervous Luna. Sighing softly a motion was made for her cousin to enter and take a seat on the bed. If there was one thing that could be said for the fiasco was Luna more than proved her claims to be truth and the days spent after the confrontation with the group of idiots saw the two of them getting to know each other. "What can I do for you Luna?" she asked flopping back on the bed. She wasn't in the mood for guests. She'd been working on the clue from the egg and made absolutely no headway leaving her frustrated. On top of that there was this whole thing about a Yule Ball she was supposed to be a part of. A snort escaped her at that thought, as if. She didn't mind dolling up for a night out on the town but she would rather swallow cyanide than go to a stuffy ball.

"I thought you might appreciate a bit of good news." Amelias bad mood wasn't lost on her and the good news she had would lighten it even a little. "Its apparent you find the idea of getting all done up for a ball abhorent" Luna began as she produced a rule book from her robes.

"Understatement of the millenia. Give me a muggle dance club or a night out to the pub any day" Amelia said rolling her eyes.

"As I was saying before someone decided to cut in" Luna said with a pointed look "tradition and the rules state all champions are required long enough to open the ball with an opening waltz. Now, unless you are lacking in the dance dapartment cousin thats maybe ten minutes out of your life and you can ditch immediately after. Is it 'proper decorum in spirit of the tournament and international co-operation' as Dumbledore would preach? Probably not but any bridges that had any possibility of being built were totrched when we nearly lost Janette." A frown of her own marred Lunas lips as she snapped her hand, and the tournament rule book consequently, closed. Much like she put time to get to know Amelia, she had to struggle to do the same for Janette after learning that technically she was a cousin too with the sibling blood adoption ritual.

"Give the girl a biscuit for stating the obvious" Amelia said palming her face. "And stop looking at me like that. Societal functions are a pain in the arse. How you haven't gone insane in this prehistoric society is beyond me. The magical world as a whole has moved on from Arthurian law and this medieval farce, why hasn't England? I mean, this excuse of a ministry treats laws made over five centuries as 'modern' and acceptable. Don't get me started on how few rights we witc-"

Luna silenced Amelia by throwing the bed blanket on her face. "Why do you think you missed my beautiful company all day? Daddy pulled me out of this excuse of a school and had a rather long talk with the old goat telling him precisely what he thought about the 'Great Albus The Dud Dumbledore'. It was rather comical actually" she said as she collapsed forward on her stomach so she was laid next to her cousins form. When mismatched eyes met her own with an intrigued expression. "Oh yes, despite my fathers saintly patience even he had enough of being polite about Dumbledores dragon dung self posturing."

Amelia dug her elbows into the mattress propped herself up immensely curious, her bad mood temporarily forgotten. Xenophilius Lovegood was a rather well spoken and polite man the couple of times she met him after the first task. It had been odd to see a parent around the school but after the talk the five had had there were suspicions in her mind. "So where are you going to finish your education then? Or are you going to be homsechooled and sit your Competencies and Proficiencies at the ministry?" she asked. "I believe you call them OWLs and NEWTs here."

A look of understanding crossed Lunas features before she grinned slightly leaning forward on her arms. "Daddy has contracted goblins out of Gringotts in Dublin to send a team to do upkeep on the Farkseeker manor grounds and after your headmistress posed her interest to me in one simple question she gave me a competency to see where my current levels sit." She let the words hang as Amelias gaze basically all but demanded she continue. "With the exception of my magical history discipline needing some work she was impressed. I was offered a place at The Keep in your year. "

Amelia raised an eyebrow at that and forced herself to sit up. The Keep didn't take transfer students often and never in the records she had seen or conversations with Joyce had she heard from a student coming in later than second year with extenuating circumstances. _'Just what are you doing Joyce? If you're starting our game early it could cause issues in the long run'_ she thought to herself. _'Wait... No, you're pulling a page out of my book you cheeky bint.'_ A small smirk tugged at her lips as she leaned forward until her face was inches from Lunas own. "I think I know why she did that" she said before hopping off the bed. Crossing to her trunk she tapped the lid of it with her foci, stone first to the lock, and hefted the oak lid open.

"I know the joke about blondes being ditzy but tell me why you think you know why. I've been scratching my head since the moment she offered me a desk in your year. Not that I'm complaining and I jumped on the opportunity, daddy was happy about it too since he hates it here in England" Luna said following Amelia with her eyes.

Tossing various objects out of her trunk Amelia hummed thoughtfully to herself before a mighty 'aha!' escaped her lips. Drawing out a cloth she tossed it in the air and a wave of her hand unfolded the material so that it was readable while floating in the air. Floating betweenn them was a wide tapestry interconnecting eight families. "Shes returning the Knight to her rightful home" she said tapping the tapestry that had updated showing Lunas name and likeness as the Heir of Farseeker. "Once my true heritage came out during my first year at The Keep the headmistress and I sat down for a long talk. Turned out that even with my House being unheard from for some time the Priest and Priestesses have kept doing their jobs to protect the rites that protect Eire."

Luna blinked owlishly and motioned for Amelia to continue. Even if it made sense to her, being filled in properly would fit some of the pieces that didn't quite fit in.

"This tapestry depicts the families of the seven Irish Royal Knights bloodlines and my own. When I claimed Headship of my House I took this from the vault knowing it would be handy and important but not precisely WHEN." Amelia paused and made the tapestry ruffle making the six empty circles with question marks and blank portrait shadows. "We had discussed returning the knights home but the matter most difficult about it would be _finding them_ " she said. "You found us and jumping at the opportunity you filled your place in."

The blonde witch scowled at that jnternally. While being back home in her families ancestral grounds was what she wanted and that Amelia would be the reason she returned home, she rather not be treated like some chess piece. "Gee cuz, that fills me with such a warmth. Why I almost sound like a piece on a chess board" she said with a rather displeased glint in her eye.

Amelia scowled rather harshly and gave Luna a hard look. "Nothing of the sort" she said in a tone that was borderline snappy. "The muggle population is less than half of what it was when they drove out their knights. I want our families back in their rightful positions. Our bloodlines sacrificed so much in service to the crown we were venerated as protectors of the realm. If it has to be subtle takeover then so be it. If nothing else I would love nothing more to than the blood to be returned to where it belongs." A violent twitch of her hand folded the tapestry and returned it to her trunk before the other items she tossed about returned to their former positions in the trunk. "I'm not blind to see that everyone here in this farce of a school already lives with a person who thinks them no more than chess pieces based on his actions I've seen." She crossed to the bed and placed a hand under Lunas chin and looked her dead in the eye. "I have no intentions to be a chess master and play with peoples lives Luna. **Cuius regni salute officiorum multitudinem.** The safety of the horde trumps all duties, the motto of our family and the creed of the Knights." She let her hand drop and the hard look soften. "I would never dream of harming family in anyway nor would I dream of manipulating them to an obscure end game. I grew up not knowing my family Luna and as much as I love my mother who raised me, she isn't blood. Have a little faith in me to do whats right not just for me but for all of us."

Lunas own eyes softened and felt bad about her own comment seeing the look in her cousins eyes. Even with the previous days of talking to get to know Amelia better she had forgotten the filter between her mouth and her mind, something she rarely did. "Forgive me" she said leaning forward and nuzzled gently against one of the older witches cheeks. "I sometimes forget the filter between my mouth and my mind. Insert foot in mouth ya know." A faint sheepish blush stained her cheeks as she heard Amelia chuckle softly and nuzzled her cheek back before she was embraced in a loose hug.

"Thats what family is for squirt" Amelia said playfully giving Luna a noogie despite the blondes whine of protest and token attempts to break free before snuggling into her warmth. "The horde protects its own and I just want to bring us all home happy & safe. Thats all I want I promise you." A comfortable silence filled the room as she buried her face in Lunas long hair and closed her eyes. The shorter witches warmth was nice, a thought absently until she heard something she hadn't heard in quite some time making her sigh.

 _She played the fiddle in an Irish band_

 _But she fell in love with an English man_

 _Kissed her on the neck and then I took her by the hand_

 _Said, "baby, I just want to dance"_

Lunas head tilted curiously looking around for the source of the noise. It sounded suspiciously like a guy singing but they were alone and the sound itself was muffled. A pout crossed her lips as Amelia left her on the bed and crossed to her trunk. Again the same four sung lines repeatedly until she saw the white haired witch pulled out a flat object and hit the surface with a scowl.

"What do you want Eddie? I told you to lose my number you two timing man whore." The snarl decorating Amelias face was far from pretty as the magic around her made her hair sway ominously in a nonexistent wind. "I don't care what you do with that slut or your other whores. We had this discussion when you... I DON'T CARE THAT YOUR MOTHER IS DYING AND WANTS TO SEE ME BEFORE SHE DIES!" she all but yelled, pacing angerily like a caged animal.

Luna was beyond perplexed at what was going on but even she could tell that if the conversation kept going down its current path Amelia would only get madder. Whoever this Eddie was was an idiot to cheat on her, if Amelia calling him a two timing man whore was proof enough, and to have the audacity to ask such a big thing of her. She made a motion of cutting a cord and it seemed to resonate well with the agitated witch. When the object was pressed again whatever the man was saying got cut off as Amelia hurled the object at the wall. Curses escaped her lips as the thing broke into a mess of pieces before fixing itself. "Two questions. One, what is that" she motioned the object being summoned back into the trunk with a frustrated gesture "and two, who is this Eddie guy that pissed you off so I can hang him up by his entrails?"

Amelia paused in her low cursing of the arrogant git and looked at Luna as the second question escaped her lips. Perhaps it was another slip of that mental filter or perhaps it was an instance of the blondes own self proclaimed Slytherin cruelty that came out to play on ocassion. "That is a muggle cell phone, well a magically modified version you can buy in most countries that aren't England; you'd be surprised that the throngs of magical researchers managed to crack the puzzle to allow muggle electronics to work in the magical half of the world. The correct runic circles to protect the internal components, a few runes to feed magic into as a power source etc. I'm getting off track though. Cell phones, they're far more convenient to use to keep in touch with people than either Floo calling or even letters carried by owl. Press a few buttons and you can connect with anyone across the globe who has one as well" she said debating on if she should tell the blonde witch about Eddie. Sure she hated his guts because he cheated on her and she caught him fucking another girl, on their one year anniversary no less!, but not enough to see him killed for it considering the poor wench she had caught him fucking ended up pregnant forcing him to marry her as per the edict of his family for the sake of his daughter. "Don't worry about who he is." She ran a hand through her hair in exasperation. _'One day of simple would be fucking nice!'_ she thought raging.

"Oh no you don't. The horde protects its own remember. That includes mental and emotionsl well being as well as physical safety so spill it or I'll make you tell me using other methods" Luna said as she crossrd her arms under her chest.

* * *

Weeks passed since her tantrum and Amelia was more frustrated now than she had been when Luna had chanced in. Staring at the mirror at her bathrobe clad formed her eyes caught the reflection of two objects, a clock and a calender with the date circled- December 25th.

"I am so getting you back for this. I hope you understand that Luna." From across the room Amelia glared half-heartedly, after turning her eyes from the mirror, to where her fair haired cousin sat with a rather coy grin on her lips. Between finally figuring out the clue, and fretting over what it could mean, she done her level best to avoid preparing for the Yule Ball she was forced to open with her fellow champions, minus Janette who _technically died_ and was out of the tournament with no recourse against her. With a date mind you! Of course she was left at the last minute to get one of her classmates that came with them, a rather polite young man who agreed to escort her since his boyfriend was not among their group, to be her 'date'. Ha, she laughed at the idea and so would the other school students if they knew the truth but they didn't and that made it all the more amusing to her.

"Pish posh" Luna said dismissively waving a hand in front of her face. "I'm sure whats his name... Dan something is going to appreciate my efforts. If I left it up to you I wouldn't be surprised if you went in either full battle regalia or completely starkers." A rather amused glint entered her eyes at the thought and made her chuckle. To see her former idiot schoolmates drool and stumble over her older cousin may just be worth the ear chewing she would undoubtedly receive. Perhaps a ploy for another day amd just like that the sneaky idea was shelved with a mental label of mischief. "Now quit being a big baby and take the bathrobe off. I put enough time into your look to not have it squandered by a rather hideous terry cloth rug."

Amelia almost wished her half-hearted glare could melt holes in people as she held the bathrobe closed tighter in defiance. Just because she encouraged Luna to be bolder did not give her carte blanche license to be a twit. "Forget it, I'm not going" she huffed childishly and turned her back on the blonde. "You can't make and the worst they can penalize me for is the remainder of my points from the First Task. Lets face reality Luna, I got one point because of the headmistress and even she knew I crossed a line during the task. All the other judges cited my 'needless slaughter of the innocent nesting mothers and their children' as reasons to give zeroes. I don't care about winning, I just want to survive. If that means consistently taking last place so be it."

Ths blonde witch snorted and crossed over to Amelia spinning her around before repeatedly poking her on a covered breast as she spoke. "I worked too long on a look to make you a damn goddess among us mortals and you **will not** squander my work on your pride. I swear to the Goddess if I have to drag you myself there by the ear I will. I don't care how much it will embarrass you" she said with as much as an authoritative tone that she could muster. For someone her size to say, the authoritative tone mustered could more accurately be called cute. A perfect muggle analogy would be like a puppy barking at a bigger older version of itself and trying to assert dominance, the effort was as amusing as it was a token effort doomed to fail. "Now I will count to three and if this damn bathrobe is not around your feet I will-"

"Not that I'm complaining or that the world doesn't know about the whole 'kissing cousins' concept but I wouldn't expect you two to-"

Luna and Amelia glared in unison at Sara who hit the deck to avoid the simultaneous stunners. "Now what was that Sara? We didn't quite hear you" the blonde witch said with a sickeningly sweet and threatening smile. She could take tease or sly remarks but even implying anything more than just purely familial teasing went on between her and Amelia was the fastest way to earn her ire, just ask Ronald Weasley. The smile on her lips turned sinister for a moment recalling sending him to the hospital wing with a combination featherlight charm on him and a well placed bombarda at his feet sent him flying into an alcove, the resounding crack of multiple bones breaking all at once coloring her mind recalling how he demeaned Amelia in one of the halls in passing and called Luna her 'scarlet whore' for abandoning Hogwarts. Oh the fuss that came about after that was comical as a rather hefty fine was slapped on Arther Weasley as Rons dad and Head of House for defamation of character and slander supported by the numerous witnesses who heard it. Maybe she needed to spend some time with the other Keep students, her dark proclivities were acting up.

Sara shuddered at the tone and smile on Lunas face. "Uh I was just here to say the headmistress is calling to have all of us attending the ball to meet in the common area" she said with a nervous gulp. "And told me to tell you" her gaze nervously darted to Amelia "that if you tried to get out the ball shes putting out training regiment up by a magnitude of five." Darting for the room with message delivered she was gone in a flash. _'Note to self: separate Luna and Amelia for time apart. Their black moments are scary when they're BOTH annoyed'_ she thought with another shudder.

Amelia growled low in her throat before hanging her head in defeat. "This is a nightmare waiting to happen. I swear if Potter eye rapes me I'm blaming you" she said dropping the bathrobe with a pointed look at Luna as the terry cloth material pooled at her feet. Underneath the robe fitted like a second skin was rather elegant black and crimson strapless gown with gold accents to catch the light if she turned just right, one side of the gown was slit revealing a stocking clad long pale leg and dragon hide heels roughly an inch or two in height made from a small section of the Hungarian Horntail she had slaughtered. The glowing smirk made her scowl at how Luna was so very able to find her suffering amusement worthy.

"I don't find your suffering amusement worthy dear cousin" Luna said as her smirk kept its glow as she twirled her wand summoning a makeup bag and animated the particular ones she needed. A tube of lipstick uncapped and twisted itself free of the casing before painting Amelias lips blood red, a tube of eyeshadow left a smoky shade that accented her eyes and a perfume bottle sprayed a rather enticing scent on her neck and wrists; it was rather minimalistic but with a beauty like Amelias she didn't need much to be drop dead gorgeous. "Try to have fun even its just hanging back out sight and making snide remarks with Janette about the 'inbred english swine' making fools of themselves."

Amelia blinked for a moment wondering where Luna had heard her say that. Or rather who told her she had said that. "I don't know what you're talking about" she said with a rather self righteous sniff. Of course Luna could call her on it but the blonde seemed to have chosen not to and was already leaving her room. "Hey Luna."

Luna paused halfway out the door and let her smirk fade into a gentler half smile. "Go have fun tonight and break their hearts" she said closing eye almost thoughtfully. For a moment she appeared on the edge of saying something else but decided against it. She wouldn't ruin Amelias night to stomp all over idiot Hogwarts' boys and girls hearts, not tonight anyways. If she told her what she had suffered at their hands Luna would be surprised if Amelia didn't massacre the schools occupants like she did the dragons. Making a pointed statement could be made just before they left Britain.

Striding over to the blonde witch Amelia leaned down and lightly pecked her lips leaving a faint mark when she pulled back. "When we leave you won't have to see your tormentors again Luna, that I promise you" she whispered softly. She didn't need her younger cousin to tell her the Hogwarts children tormented her, just the way the blonde clung so closely to her when groups of kids decorated with the animal patches passed told her that they mistreated her. "I can only imagine how trying it is to keep yourself from lashing out now that you can without recourse since you're a student for The Keep now and diplomatically immune. Believe me when I say your restraint is beyond what I imagine my own would be if I was in your shoes." Cupping the blondes cheek gently a small warm smile made the corners of her lips curl up a tiny bit. "Let not a single soul ever be one to tell you you're weak or anything is ever wrong with you cousin. Theres a beautiful powerful dragon waiting to burst from within that cage they tried to build around your heart and I'll help you set her free."

Luna blushed prettily but returned the soft smile. Sometimes it was scary to her that Amelia could pick up on unspoken things she unintentionally hinted at without thought. Perhaps not scary but unsettling to a degree. Despite her intelligence and perceptive nature her cousin was a mystery that refused to be solved. She could be fierce and angry one minute before turning on the tip of a hat to be the sweetest person ever. Another tip of the hat and you could find that sweet person gone only to face the coldest & most cruel bitch she'd ever seen. 'Perhaps she's a mystery I don't want to be solved' she thought absently touching a finger to her lips. Promises and soft words of loving support danced in her ears as gentle silver eyes met mismatched dark ocean blue & emerald, sincere and unhidden love met her gaze.

"Luna, you want me to have fun tonight? Then accompany me to the ball."

Those words shocked her as her eyes went wide. "Y-you al-already asked Dan and he agreed" she said in a soft tone. She cursed internally how weak it sounded and almost pouted at the smile that graced Amelias lips. "It wouldn't be fai-" A pale finger pressed onto her lips silencing her.

"Daniel is gay Luna. He really didn't want to go in the first place since his beau isn't here but agreed to escort me since he owed me a favor for setting them up. Before you say you don't have anything to wear" Amelias eyes twinkled as she waved her free hand where the ring was sat "yes you do. If I'm going to have fun at this insufferable event, I'm going to have fun showing off my beautiful cousin. Give the idiots who dared to hurt you a show of what exactly they lost by mistreating someone so special as you."

Looking down at herself she gasped softly and felt tears well up in her eyes a little. Despite her families wealth from the side that their knight ancestor began on they lived modestly, mostly to avoid playing into english politics according to her father, and the slightly baggy school robes she had been wearing had been transfigured into the most beautiful silver sequin dress she had ever seen. Hanging onto her slim form by one strap it was form fitting revealing enough to prove that she kept in shape, one side had a slit like Amelias dress only unlike her cousins her dress was only slit up to her knee. Her eyes barely caught the accent pink and black sequins that glittered in the light almost perfectly in compliment. "You're too good to me" she said quietly looking back up more adoringly. Feeling a hand gently caress her face she nuzzled it and closed her eyes relishing the warmth of the soft flesh. Maybe some would think that the moment was romantic if they saw it but she didn't quite care at the second; she was held right then and there by someone who loved her with no reservation. After tonight she was certain she would have problem with the Patronus charm her father had mentioned in passing during one conversation; the memory of this moment, so full of pure happiness and absolute love, would certainly allow her to complete the spell and produce a misty shield if not a full corporeal patronus.

"You're my baby cousin Luna. Its my job to spoil and protect you, to make sure you know you're loved beyond all doubt and naysayers who want you to believe otherwise" Amelia said before a soft laugh escaped her lips. "I'll always be too good to you so get used to it. Whoever lands your affections will be a lucky man or woman, you are beautiful inside and out. So I'll ask you once. Luna Lovegood, would you do me the distinct honor of allowing me to escort you to tonights ball?"

Opening silver eyes she allowed only a single happy tear to fall as she nodded. "Only if you allow me to escort you" she said with a small cheeky smile. The laughter that escaped Amelias lips made her heart flutter with joy. It was so pure, so light, so...happy and full of life. It was a sound she was certain she could listen to forever and never tire of.

"Thats not how its supposed to go" Amelia said stepping back and wiping the few remaining unshed tears from Lunas eyes as her laughter dispelled into bell like giggles. "But yes, I would be most honored to be your date. Lets finish getting you ready." Another wave of her hand summoned the makeup bag and a quick rummage found the perfect mix of cosmetics. Just like Amelia it was minimalidtic but absolutely stunning as she handed the blonded a pair of dragon hide flats; a dark pink-ish red lipstick decorated her pouty lips and dark grey bordering on black eyeshadow created a visual illusion of the moon rising up into the night sky from a burning sunset on Lunas aristocratic features. Truly she was just stunning in Amelias opinion. "Our adoring public awaits milady" she said with a playful wink and a curtsey that ellicited a giggle and likewise gesture.

-Down in the hallway leading up to the Great Hall-

Michael paced the hallway where the champions were supposed to gather and scowled. He had heard about his parents and Dumbledores spectacular failure, now was his turn. Of course call it 'his turn' was being generous, sure he was asked by his parents to try and Dumbledore gave him a rather harsh look when the elder Potters weren't looking, since he rather wanted a chance to actually talk to this sister he had only ever heard about. Ignoring the people that passed some girls commented on his robes being rather smart and handsome on him but he waved the comments off with a robotic polite response. When he did catch sight of the person he intended to _try_ and speak to his breath caught in his throat.

The first coherent thought was that she was drop dead gorgeous in her dress. It might be muggle in design but Merlin be damned was she beautiful in it. The second thought, and perhaps disorientating to him as one of the few Ravenclaws that hadn't picked on Luna & actually tried to be her friend sincerely, was the blonde beauty on her arm nuzzled up against Alexandrias shoulder. He had always know Luna Lovegood to be a slightly eccentric and rather plain girl but seeing her dolled up like this the blonde appeared to be more of model than any girl he'd seen so far all night save his sister whose arm she was hanging on. Together the two drew quite the amount of whispers and eyes, something that didn't seem to bother them. "Good evening ladies, I do hope that I could per chance steal a moment of your time before the ball opens" he said bowing politely as per tradition.

Alexandrias glance toward Luna didn't go unnoticed and made him scowl a tiny bit internally. He expected this but even subtle barbs were still barbs. She didn't know him, why wouldn't she be suspicious?

"Its ok, Mike is a friend. Hes a good guy who has stood for me before." Luna sticking up for him made him raise a mental eyebrow when the scowl faded and a small smile tugged at the edges of his lips.

"Of course Lu, who else has helped you take care of the Whibblestumper?" The question left his lips with lighthearted laughter as he made a gesture to a quiet spot by a set of armor but within sight of prefects. Far be it from him to be accused of anything improper. "Before I say what I have to say I have to ask your insistence Ms Nightshade to interrupt me when I start to be kept in check. I don't want to ruin the nights mood so its why I want to say this now. Can you try to keep from interrupting me when I do start to a minimum?" he asked politely. The fact it took a minute to get answer was worrisome.

"I shall try my best. I will admit though Mr Potter, your mother father and headmaster had rather... strong words when they decided to corner me. Without meaning to be offensive, you are very lucky I did not kill them or at the very least put a few bullet holes in their bodies for that stunt" Amelia said candidly but choosing her with seeming care and courtesy.

"I'm aware of what they did and I feel that as the recognized heir of House Potter I must apologize for my Lord father and Lady mothers actions. Both were in rather poor taste and the headmaster, just between us three- I think hes finally lost his last marble." The comment drew conspiratory laughter from Alexandria, a good sign.

"While they are in poor taste I cannot accept your apology."

Michael looked rather surprised at the statement. "Could I respectfully ask why not?" Seeing Alexandrias head shake he felt a gnawing in his gut.

"I could accept your apology as heir of your House, what precedent does that then set for them?" Alexandria asked. "If you apologize for them once after they decided to be... oh whats the term you British people use... gits?" A rather unpleased expression crossed her face. "No, I do believe the word is mug. If they decide to behave in such ways and they can expect you to apologize for them, well its wasted time for us both I believe. Wasted time that could be spent being productive members of society."

"Ah, I believe I see what you mean. Well I wished to ask if you would at the very least consider the two of us finding some time after the ball to talk where I may show you show somethings you may find interesting; if you don't feel comfortable us being alone Luna is more than welcome to join us if that would make you more comfortable. All is above board and perfectly respectable I assure you. I am a gentleman after all, ask Luna if you need confirmation"

Lunas giggle made him pout but the confirmation seemed to mollify Amelia. Adopting a thoughtful expression she gave no immediate answer. On one hand she could say no, the boy before her was certainly more evenly tempered than his parents whic was a good thing and his manners _seemed_ to be intact. On the other hand she could easily see the boys parents try to crash their little shindig and forcefully try to make their point, such an action **WOULD** earn them being shot up full of bullet holes and wind up most likely dead. While the second would most certainly make _her_ feel better she would rather not get more blood on her hands than necessary. "I shall take it under advisement" she replied diplomatically. It wasn't a yes but it wasn't a flat out get lost either so the boy would have to make due.

Michael felt a want to scowl fight to mar his lips but repressed the urge. He hated being in a situation where being political in any regard was necessary and unfortunately this was one of them. _'At least she isn't telling me to scram'_ he thought. "That is the least I ask. I thank you for your time ladies and I do sincerely hope you both enjoy the ball tonight" he said after placing a chaste kiss on their knuckles. "And do forgive me Lu if I'm being much to forward if my saying this is taken in the wrong context but honest to Merlin, you look radiant tonight. I don't just mean the dress or anything superficial like that either. If I didn't know you better I'd almost call you a young woman in love with this positively encompassing aura around you too. If you two would excuse me, it would seem my own date is here." With a friend peck to Lunas cheek he disappeared back into the throngs of students.

Amelia looked between the crowd and Luna whose lips were pulled into a small smile. Perhaps the Ravenclaw boy who was brother by right of blood was redeemable. "We have an adoring public to wow my dear" she said teasing Luna by kissing her cheek rather close to her ear, her breath dancing softly across the blondes earlobe making her shiver.

Luna glared lightly but nonetheless kept her smile. She would get Amelia back later for teasing her. "Indeed we do. It would be a crime to keep them waiting" she said turning lightly and kissed the other witch softly drawing gasps of surprise from the people watching them. "Lets go stomp on a few hearts." Her lips were pulled into a rather dark smirk only Amelia could see for a moment before it relaxed into a pleasant expression and led them them towards opening doors.

* * *

A/N: so before conspiracy theory pairings and insane logic comes out- no, there is no AmeliaxLuna in consideration for out heroines partner. The girls are touchy feely and not shy in the least about being affectionate with each other but thats purely because after Luna proved her claims the two seemed to click together like that after days of talking at length. Is there a chance of them being intimate in the future? Who knows, maybe.

Still considering reader opinions of possible pairings for Amelias better half(or halves if you can logic well for a permanent relationship with her entertaining more than one lover).


	8. Secrets exposed and unknown tolls

As the sun broke the horizon coloring the world in shades of red, purple, orange and the last vestiges of grey a single solitary figure stood silhouetted against the stone. _'Perhaps I miscalculated the amount of exposure the press would have with last nights ball'_ the figure thought as she brushed strands of hair from her eyes. _'Even so, it may work in our favor after all. The attention from Dumbledore and the Potters was uncomfortable but given their laser focus on me it was unhidden. If there was a half decent reporter present last night they should have been able to follow their gazes back to me. Such prominent figures focusing on a foreign witch is suspicious to say the very least.'_ Sensing the approaching person tripping her proximity ward a small smile came upon her lips as she twirled a few strands of long snow white hair around her pointer finger. "You don't have to hide from me Luna" she said, a soft tone of loving amusement coloring her words. "Join me would you? The sun rise is one of my favorite times of day. Such beauty in the world waking, a painting of colors to bring all of the Goddess' many creations the breath of a new day."

Coming up the last few steps of the tower Luna pouted at the statue still witch watching the sun slowly rise above the forbidden forest. "Just what precisely do you have to say for yourself?" she asked breaking the last step and taking a spot beside Amelia. Sometimes her elder cousin made no sense to her and coming from herself that was saying something if she ever knew anyone else ever heard it.

"Forgive me if I must ask you precisely what you mean. I thought it was clear my invitation to join me for a quiet view of one of our Goddess' most beautiful works of art" Amelia said turning her head just slightly to glance at the blonde witch. Wrapping an arm around Luna she pulled the smaller witch into her side and rubbed a hand into the others arm lightly to give her a little more warmth. "Unless you are referring to this morning." The silence she was met with as she felt Lunas head rest against her chest told her that she was on the right track. "I carried you to bed after you had too much of the spiked punch, if I find the person who did so they are going to pay, and tucked you in after a kiss goodnight. Unless I upset you in some way before or after than I apologize Luna."

"I asked you to stay with me when you tucked me in and you didn't." Lunas pout deepened a little and looked up. Last night, or was it early morning, had been a ball up til the point she was left alone in her bed. They danced the night away enjoying themselves breaking both boys and girls hearts, hell half the night it was one or the other of them leaning in to initiate a kiss that was returned with an equal love and soft passion. Never before had she felt so appreciated, so loved, so... desired for more than just her looks even if the background nasty rumors held even an inkling of truth about the boys saying she had a 'bangin bod' but found her 'ditziness' a complete turnoff. "Why didn't you stay with me when we got back?"

Turning to face Luna completely Amelia leaned down and tapped her nose gently to cut off any torrential floods of potential questions. "One simple reason, alcohol fueled temptations." Seeing the confusion on the blondes face she continued after letting her finger drop to fall across the other girls lips to keep her silent during the explanation. "Luna, if we are well and completely honest with each other we could give a rats ass if we were related. Before we knew that, I was just the Dragoness that would see you and your father returned to the home of your families birth. Then we saw the solid proof and we got to talking. I found a beautiful young woman, inside and out, quickly worming a way into my heart" she said as the hand on Lunas arm grasped the tender flesh gently.

Luna shivered at the soft words hearing the subtle undertones and felt she knew where this conversation was headed. She had always played both ways but something more subtle and soft, the feminine form in particular, had always drew her eye just a touch more. Was Amelia going to elude to what she thought the older witch might be leading up to? "I-"

"Let me finish." The command was soft spoken and gentle as the rising sun was higher now bathing them in golden orange light, shadows of purple dancing at their feet. "I know a lot about you already and you of me, we spent that time talking to understand that much. But I also have been observing you" Amelia said as she drew her finger back and gently traced the jaw bone along Lunas right cheek slowly, almost thoughtfully. "You appreciate the finer things and even if you equally find both genders appealing it is women that draw your eye more. I can respect that and I do respect that." Her finger dropped with a soft smile smile. "Not only do I respect it, I admire your very candid way you unqiuely approach what you desire. That being said, I'm not who you want Luna. You want some exactly like me but theres something missing that I don't possess. Kind, loving, gentle, appreciates you inside and out for everything that makes you you- you could call me all those things but I don't have that special something you desire deepest in your heart of hearts and before tell me I do, I know I don't."

Luna tried to open her lips to protest but a single finger pushed her jaw up to be silenced once more.

"However, that does not mean if you asked me to share your bed from time to time until you found a man or woman you loved I would not be against it. I just won't do it when there is alcohol involved. It turns even the purest and smallest displays of love and affection into something more that loses a lot of the tenderness that is put into it in the first place. Do you understand why I tucked you in and kissed you goodnight before leaving now?" Amelia asked leaning down slightly and nuzzled the top of Lunas head.

"Yeah, I guess so" Luna said with a soft sigh. She still wasn't very happy about being left alone in her bed but she accepted the reasoning. "Can I say one thing though about last night?"

"Go ahead, I'm all ears" Amelia said stepping back and leaning against the wall.

"You're more tits and ass than ears" Luna said before she could stop herself. Realizing what she said she blushed dark crimson as she heard Amelia laughing. "An-anyway" she cursed mentally at the stutter "all I wanted last night was cuddles. Between the dancing, the laughs we had with everyone and everything else... I honestly never felt so safe and purely appreciated than I did last night so snugly wrapped in your arms. It made me feel..." it felt to her that her blush darkened "that in those moments I was...I was the most precious thing in the world to you. I didn't want you to stay in my bed for anything carnal or passionate, not that I would't have objected mind you, but I wanted to feel like I was the center of your world for a bit longer so protectively held in your embrace; thats all I wanted."

Even though Lunas last few words came out quietly Amelia heard them. A soft heart-felt smile etched itself onto her lips as she reached her arms out and pulled the blonde flush against her before she wrapped her arms tight around her cousin. "Right now Luna you are the center of my world right beside Janette and Sara. You three are hands down the most important people to me and I mean that with no shadows of doubt. If being held like this by me makes you happy then you have nothing to worry about. Ever. Just keep your future lover off my back though. You seen and felt it you could ask Janette but my touchy feely-"

Luna laughed softly and pressed her face into Amelias throat nuzzling the hollow flesh lovingly. "I'll make sure they don't get their boxers or panties in a twist I promise. Having someone besides daddy show me just how much I'm loved and appreciated since mom died in the accident when I was nine, its nice" she said as her eyes closed and soaked the warmth coming off the older witch in. "Does it make me a bad person I already don't care if any of my future relationships fall apart because they over-react to us being more physical in showing affection and if it came into a situation where they forced me to choose... that it would always be you if it they tried to give me an ultimatum of you or them?" she asked quietly.

Gentle fingers carded through Lunas hair as Amelia looked comtemplative for a split second. Did it make Luna a bad person choosing her, choosing family, over a potential lover if forced into an ultimatum becuase they were more physically affectionate? "No it doesn't. Loyalty to a lover or spouse is to be commended. At the end of the day though, your family will always love you more than anyone ever could and no one has the right to put you in a spot to choose whats more important to you in a situation like that" she said palming the blondes cheek gently. "But at the same token, be fair. One of the first things I would do in your shoes when you find a lover who completes you is sit them down. Give them fair warning and explain. A relationship of any type is built upon not just trust but being open and honest in communication. You don't want to meet someone you could love for the rest of your life and drive them away because you made them think you love me more than them do you?" The negative shake from the blonde was almost instantaneous. "Then tell them early that if we hug more than most people or if they catch us cuddling or even giving each other the reassuring peck on the lips once in a while- its all just us being the supportive loving family we are its in no way you being unfaithful or me trying to break you and whomever you're with up."

Luna nodded silently and kissed Amelias throat softly in thanks. She had already started feeling despicable about the thought but her cousins words made her feel better. "I guess its true what they say about getting wiser as you get older" she said as she slipped out of the older witches grasp and began running down the tower stairs laughing as Amelia chased her with a mock angry expression on her face though her eyes showed some amusement.

"I'll show you getting older! Get back here so I can put you over my knee and punish that mouth of yours!" As the pair rocketed out the base of the tower they zoomed past Filch and Mrs Norris scaring the living daylights out of the pair.

* * *

 **The same time in Dumbledores office**

* * *

Within his office Dumbledore was running head first into the proverbial wall and finding that no matter what solution he tried to apply to the Potter Problem, Alexandria Potter and making her see reason that is, it seemed that none would work out smoothly. The girls violent temper and nature was a contradiction to the temperment of every Potter that had passed before her and certainly a day & night difference to her parents much more even tempered spirits. "You choose to be difficult girl" he said to himself leaning back into his seat. The First Task of the tournament showed her to be a violent threat to everyone at Hogwarts safety, if she had no hesitation about murdering two creatures and their children then she was a threat to humans as well. That little bit of information was a blessing as well as cursing since it would mean she would not hesitate to murder Tom when the time came and she was convinced to see things his ways. A thought popped into his head and a mad twinkle entered his blue eyes. Oh yes, that could work out _quite nicely_ indeed. It was a waste of a valuable life that had much to offer but sacrifices would have to be made for the Greater Good.

From her perch Fawkes, the regal phoenix scoffed mentally since the idiot she had bonded to in her youth never checked her sex automatically assuming a powerful being like her was male, felt disgust well up in her breast feathers. She could see the sickening plan developing in the mans mind and with it her last shred of patience for the fool snapped. A rather sharp trill escaped her beak as she launched herself off her perch and dive bombed Dumbledore. Drawing blood from rather deep cuts of her talons she used her magic and his blood to sever the familiar bond btween them stripping his fire magics, a gift she bestowed upon him in his youth when he was truly pure of heart and soul, from his control and mind before departing in a rather violent flurry of flames with a parting warning left in the senile wizards mind. She would warn the hatchling of her former bonded intentions and perhaps the witch to see if she was worthy.

Dumbledore cursed and glared at the burning perch that once sat his familiar. Just what got into the dumb bird he would never know but the warning made him scowl darkly. **_'There are consequences to going dark on a magic bound oath to a phoenix. Expect to face them in the coming trials and tribulations._** _ **'**_ There was no feasible way for Fawkes to be comprehend his plan. Fawkes was just another dumb magical creature, far smarter than most and much more powerful magically speaking but still a dumb magical creature that could not fully comprehend the complexities of dire straits the wizarding world was in. "Who needs the stupid bird anyway? That rebirth cycle was more a hinderance to my plans than annything else. No matter" he muttered to himself. Preparations would begin at breakfast, a few words to the house elfs and it would be simple to slip a potion into the food of a very specific person before the students in the castle for Yule break assembled for breakfast.

* * *

 **Amelia and Janettes shared room**

* * *

Amelia and Janette were just finished getting dressed when a flurry of flames & feathers appeared in the middle of the room. Both girls drew their revolvers and pointed them at the phoneix that appeared with weary expressions. "Who sent you fire chicken?" Janette asked as she slowly circled the stationary phoenix who eyed them equally as warily.

 **'What is the human saying your kind uses so often... Don't get your panties in a bunch. I come bearing a warning'** Fawkes said puffing her feathers out in annoyance at being called a fire chicken. **'And I will say for the record that I am not a 'fire chicken'. If you are going to address me no matter how briefly at least have the courtesy to call me what I am, a phoenix. Or surprise me an** **d actually use my name given mto me by mother, Fawkes'** she said broadcasting the thought to the two witches minds with her magic like she had done innumerable amounts of time with Dumbledore. **'I seek the hatchling known as Alexandria Potter.'**

Amelia glared at the phoenix and was tempted to shoot her, she wasn't dumb enough to assume gender and the mental voice was distinctly feminne in its softness, but kept the urge in check. "So Dumbledore sent you. Tell him I don't want his shit in my life or his little cock puppets the Potters for that matter" she said with a nasty sneer fighting to curl at her lips but was repressed for a rather dark grimace. "And what the fuck is it with people NOT using my name right? A birth name and a name I was raised under are two different things. Its Amelia, not Alexandria bird brains. Now get out of here."

 **'I would not be so hasty to dismiss me hatchling. Not when the warning I bear could save the life of someone you hold near and dear.'**

Amelias eyes narrowed dangerously as she approached the phoenix. "Are you threatening me bird brains?" she asked with a flat tone. "I have conjured things more dangerous than you when mistress began my Evocation training four years ago. Pick your words very carefully unless you fancy being in the belly of a beast that nullifies every aspect of your magic."

 **'I guess a warning that could save the life of Ms. Lovegoods life iss not something you would like to know then. I guess I was wrong then. Perhaps you are a threat and monster like Dumbledore thought you to be after all.'** Fawkes looked and sounded disappointed as she tried to flame out but found she could not. Her eyes saw the blood red runes tattooed onto Amelias skin and wondered just where the girl could find magic old enough to keep even her contained.

"Janette, leave me and the phoenix to talk." The order left Amelias lips as she kept her eyes locked on Fawkes. The sputtering from the witch made her eyes sharply cast over. "That wasn't a suggestion, that was an order from your Head of House. Leave."

 **'Rather rude of you don't you think?'** Fawkes asked seeing the other girl scamper out hastily before Amelia locked the door with an Evans spell utilizing the Dragon Tongue.

"Cut to the chase already. What is this warning and what precisely do you mean it could save Lunas life?" Amelia asked in a clipped tone. "If that wrinkled old fool so much as lays one fingernail on my cousin I will murder him in front of all his precious students and damn the consequences."

 **'Rather dark track of thought for one so young. Answer me two questions and I will tell you the warning. What is most important to you? What extremes would you go so far as to go to enact the safety of what mattered the most to you?'**

"I don't see how this is relevant but whatever, so long as you tell me. What is most important to me? Hands down my friends and family no questions asked. The people I love and in the future if that extends to me having children then it goes without saying they will be in that same group. Protecting all of them from harm as much as I can" Amelia said with no hesitation. "As for extremes, there is no extreme I wouldn't exhaust. Slaughter all of mine and their enemies leaving behind a battlefield full of corpses, burn entire nations to scorched earth. Die a million deaths to ensure I took down who or what threatened the ones I loved."

Fawkes was contemplative for a moment as she peered deeply into the girls soul and would have grimaced if her bodys physical form allowed it. The girls soul was not pure white signifying the presence of what would be considered marks of questionable magic, instead it was a shade of grey. Her heart was the same tint and that was slightly worrisome but she shook her head. She could bond with this girl and not be affected negatively. Her kind had bonded with darker and lighter wizards & witches, this girl straddled the fence of magical schools of thought balancing out "Light" magics and "Dark" magics equally. Not to mention even if her methods and magics of choice were questionable her heart and soul were pure of the fact that her desire to protect the people she loved was on par with the legends she heard from her mother as a hatchling after she first hatched about people like Merlin who struck her like this girl did. **'The second task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament involves the Black Lake and a person the champions cherish more than they know being kidnapped. Prior to my engagement of being here Dumbledore..'**

Needless to say by the time Fawkes and Amelia were done talking Joyce had had to ward Amelias room from the outside to contain the violent outbursts of magic.

* * *

 **The Great Hall**

* * *

Amelias eyes were dangerously narrow as she had an arm around Luna holding the blonde witch. Despite the number of students looking at the pair oddly the former Hogwarts witch didn't seem to mind in it the slightest; quite the opposite in fact, she seemed to find the possessive hold to be comfortable. When the food appeared she stopped Luna from immediately digging into her food and incinerated it with a fire spell leaving a plate of full of ashes. "Stay here and don't eat _anything_ that appears on your plate" she ordered before shooting Sara a look to take her place. The moment she was gone she stomped up to the Bulgarian side of the table and conversed with Viktor in rapid hushed conversation before the older champion glared daggers after revealing a crimson and gold feather to his eyes. A plate of food, english and some bulgarian, was put into her hands as she gave her thanks to the man before returning.

"So who wants to play the game of Fill Luna In On What The Bloody Hell Is Going On?" Luna asked with a look that demanded answers. Amelia was naturally suspicious of everything and everyone at Hogwarts but this, this was a new level of suspicion. It was borderline unreasonable paranoia.

Up at the staff table Albus Dumbledore was cursing silently and wishing a thousand deaths upon the turnfeather that was his former familiar. There was no way the Potter brat could have known the food was potioned and whatever conversation she had with the Durmstrang champion was a negative one to do with him if the glare was proof. Just what did she say to him? What did Fawkes have to do with it all?

Lunas eyes were more dangerously narrow than Amelias own as the witch finished explaining the series of events to her in gaelic, a safety thing to keep 'the sheeple herd' from understanding their conversation. "You mean to tell me that Dumbledore planned to-"

"Yes."

"Using the house elves to basically poison my food" Luna continued in gaelic. A nod was her answer. "To manipulate my bodies weakness to use me as a pawn against you for the sake of some barmy prophecy involving the death of Voldemort?!"

"Yes cousin I am. Which is why for my peace of mind and your safety I am sending you back The Keep via Fawkes. She turned coat on Dumbledore after his plan to use you came across their bond. She attacked him, broke their familiar bond and after I confirmed the memories authenticity with the Headmistress was a former Irish Unspeakable.. You get the idea" Amelia said in a hushed tone in english since there was enough loud conversation to cover their words. "Shes mine now, shes less than happy my soul is grey but in her own words **'Your soul isn't bright white but your intentions to do right by the people you love makes you far purer of soul than most humans'**. Those were her words not mine. Since the second task was given to me by Fawkes we can throw a monkey wrench in his plans. If you go back with the headmistress to settle you into the school he can't use you against me."

Luna shot a venomous look to the staff table aimed particularly at Dumbledore before a rather dark smile curled at the edges of her lips. A subtle flick of her right hand containing her wand and a cold breeze filling the hall had her looking satisfied as anarchy emerged. Hordes of locusts, grasshoppers and other insects poured into the Great Hall creating pandemonium of the students that were there. While the staff sorted out the problem Dumbledore had a rather challenging look on his face. No one could call her petty but revenge like this would be most amusing if not incriminating to destroy the image of Albus Dumbledore.

"I am the true Dark Lord! You think Voldemort is a threat?! Tom Marvolo Riddle, your little baby 'Dark Lord' is nothing but a filthy muggleborn I had the displeasure of turning to the Dark Arts purposefully while he was here in attendance for his education! More than that all you idiots think Voldemort died because of snotty little bitch Potter? Don't make me laugh! You think your precious saviour went missing because neanderthallic students of mine mucked up a spell to whisk her away to safety? I sabotaged the spell to drop the little bitch somewhere she would certainly die without her parents to care for her!" In Dumbledores mind his booming statements were calling for calm and order til he saw every painfully wide eye trained on him. Taking his a moment he felt a cold dread burying into his soul as he realized just exactly he ACTUALLY said as every wand in the room was pointed at him.

The following minutes of violence was a hurricane of actions as every teacher at the staff table, the elder Potter duo, the visiting school heads and ministry officials engaged Dumbledore in mass-vs-one duel. By the time old man was subdued it was not the duel participants who held Dumbledores life in their hands but Amelia herself. Unbridled rage showed in her expression as she fired four times on the downed man, one shot to each of his elbows and knees to keep him down, as a silent summoning charm summoned the two pieces of the wands destroyed by one of her bullets and there was a sinister gleam in her eyes. "I should kill you Dumbledore. Your admission to my attempted murder as a baby alongside everything else... I don't think the ministry would argue with me." Her eyes shot up looking for any of them to disagree with her. "However your actions lead to this and I doubt I would be this well prepared as a witch" she said as she cocked and uncocked her revolver several times waiting to see if anyone would stop her; no one did. If she was reading their expressions right they were ran the full gamut of disgust and betrayal to murderous rage from the two Potter parents who had walked into the hall when Dumbledore began loudly proclaiming his dark secrets to all those in the hall.

Luna was one of the few students that didn't flee the hall in terror when the violence erupted and looked on rather sadistically amused. _'Talk you way out of this you good for nothing shit bag'_ she thought watching him be dragged out of the school by Aurors summoned by one of the Hufflepuffs. She vaguely recalled one of the badgers being related to a DMLE person, Benses or something like that she thought. _'No, her name is Bones. The DMLE heads niece'_ she thought recalling the badge girl who was nice to her.

Feeling herself being dragged out she noted Amelia being the responsible party and raised an eyebrow. Before she could ask the question on her lips she was pushed into an abandoned classroom and found herself pressed against the door. Confused as she was she was surprised by how fiercely she found herself being kissed by the white haired witch.

"I have no idea what you did but by the Goddess do I have even more reason to adore you Luna" Amelia said between panting breaths once the need to breathe became imperative.

Luna smiled a little and instead just looped her arms around Amelias neck smiling a little smile that made the older witch shudder. "I can tell you if you want. As long as you pay my price" she said with a wink.

* * *

A/N: i know some people are going to get mad that like Lord Nightshade this is a very extreme bashing of Dumbledore but it serves a purprose I promise! Read/review/fav/follow if you want to see more. Lunas spell to summon the insects was distraction to cover a family from Royal Knight family grimoire that makes a person reveal their darkest secrets. Just like the bashing right now, beginning to discredit and destroy Dumbledores image is part of a bigger picture that will re eal itself in time.

Oh and before anyone says anything, i stand firm on my last chapter authors note this is NOT AmeliaxLuna even if her actions suggest otherwise.


	9. Bitter truths and Grey hairs

The question bounced around her mind as Amelia found herself once more alone on the astronomy tower. After the episode with Dumbledore earlier and Lunas rather forward innuendo, which she had left unaswered, she had made it a point to disappear into the castle. Of course the map she pilfered off a pair of redhaired boys who were looking at it and then away for the slightest moment helped with it detailing every passageway. "What do I want to do with my life?" she muttered fiddling absently with a bracelet around her wrist, one she had disillusioned to all eyes but her own. Unseeing eyes reflected in the dull platinum, she would have to clean it soon, recalling what Fawkes had asked her. She had to admit the bird was much too smart it seemed and it caused a spark of fear in her heart to clench as she shut the bond of her current thoughts. "It doesn't matter what I want. Duty to the House and Family before Duty to Self. Damn you mum for engraving that so thickly into me,."

To actually hear the words escape her lips was frightening all on its own. She had always been so self assured of her wants, needs and desires but with the death of her mother just before the school year started it felt like she didn't know anything anymore. Her entire world began in the arms of her mother and her understanding shaped from the guidance spent many a night in front of the fireplace curled up with the confident and loving woman. Now without her she felt like the world didn't make sense. She couldn't hide away from the world, she had duties to attend to as Lady Nightshade and Lady Evans as well as her mandatory education to complete. Even leaving the political ramifications aside there was face to be kept for the Nightshade line and that meant many things she was not happy about being forced to do. A bitter hollow chuckle escaped her throat as her head dropped and her forehead rested on her knees. What and why prompted Fawkes to ask her such a question? She had been content to not think about the inevitable misery that was her fate after her education for three more years. "If I even survive this tournament whole" she said with an empty self degrading smile hidden by her knees.

 **'Are you ok hatchling?'** The flurry of whooshing flames heralded Fawkes arrival as she projected her thoughts to the girl. When she had been shut out of Amelias thoughts she grew concerned since she had long been used to being able to access her bondeds thoughts freely, she blamed her complacency on Dumbledore being an open book and misvaluing her intelligence, and flashed to where the link told her the young witch was. Instead of the strong witch she had seen that morning before breakfast she saw something that made her heart clench within her breast feathers; she didn't find the strong witch but the very image of a lost child. Fire red eyes showed a well of concern as she awaited a response from the girl, any response at all, but got none instead. Not a peep, not a muscle twitch- nada.

"Why?"

The response took far too much longer than she expected but it was something at least. **'I don't understand hatchling. Why what?'** The question was returned with carefully measured words but Fawkes tone was soft and laced with concern. What had she said or done that had seemingly upset the girl? She couldn't recall doing anything except having a handful of conversations with Amelia after the revealing episode of Dumbledores outburst that only furthered her disgust of the man. How a once pure person could twist and gnarl to something so sinister like he did was beyond her. How he hid the darkness was infuriating since never before a magical being been able to hide taint of the spirit from a Light creature like her own kind and he managed it!

"Why did you ask me the question? Why did you have to remind me my life is not my own to live after my education is completed?"

Fawkes was struck by the pointedness of the questions. She was doubly struck by the bitter tone the questions were asked in. It took her a moment to realize she had unintentionally hit a nerve with the question. **'I didn't mean to hatchling. Upsetting you was the farthest..'** she hesitated for a moment finding it hard to pick the right words. From the spot beside Amelia she pecked gently at the girls knees to try and draw her to raise her gaze but it didn't work.

"I am expected to shoulder the mantle of two bloodlines, possibly three if I give those two Potter brats a shot, and that means loveless marriages to continue them. Means spreading my legs and popping out kids to teach the magics to. Thats not counting gathering as many of the Knight bloodlines and bringing the family home." Amelias eyes closed as her shoulders sagged against the stone. "Before any of that even happens I have to deal this idiot dark lord that wants the Potter bloodine dead. Unfortunately that means I have to get involved due to a barmy prophecy where I kill him or he kills me. Which means everything I do can just be fucking useless in the end and an exercise in futility." Resignation and something old replaced the bitterness in her voice as she said the last bit. A very slight tilt of her head exposed the dark ocean blue eye to meet the phoenixes own gaze, pure unrestrained mental fatigue meeting warm concern.

Fawkes was at a lack for words finding Amelias words disturbing coming from one so young like herself. Someone like Dumbledore she could see him saying something like that given his age but hearing it from her, someone barely out of her shell in phoenix years, was damn near blasphemy talking about her single potential death like this so resignedly. **'I truly did not mean to upset you or bring up unpleasant thoughts.'** The thought was met with a soft trill of apology as she rubbed her head against the witches leg. Even with her connection to Amelias thoughts blocked she knew there was something else bugging her bonded, something far deeper and more troubling to the girl. **'You know your secrets are safe with me right? This bond is as much about the well being of you as it is about me'** she thought brushing a wing against the girls arm.

"Just thoughts Fawkes." Amelia brushed the concern aside and let one hand drop to idly run her fingers through the phoenixes feathers. "Nothing that can be done about anyway. Not unless you can do something about those who are passed through the veil" she said. The soft trill told her no. "Then don't worry about it. The dead rest, their worries are not earthly concerns anymore." Her eye closed again and silence fell upon them.

Left to their own thoughts neither would notice the hours pass until the hour bell rang nine times and the stars shone brightly above.

* * *

Janette and Amelias room several hours later

* * *

In their shared room Janette looked worriedly at the messy bed her sister slept in and felt worry sink into her bones. Three in the morning and it was still empty. Amelia was often gone at all odd hours and could disappear for days on end & not worry her normally considering the white haired witches penchant for studying new magic alongside overzealously straining her body by working it too hard. What made that worry sink into her bones was that she knew the reason that Amelia was not there now was because it was something NOT the usual reason at all. She didn't know what it was but she knew it had to do with whatever Fawkes had said to Amelia that spooked her badly earlier. Even if Amelia denied it and said she never had such an expression on her face she knew better. She saw the micro-second of unbridled misery, resignation and hopelessness before she covered it up before people noticed or so the white haired witch would hope not notice. Every minute that passed her anxiety and worry grew to the point she was getting ready to go to the headmistress & form a search party.

"Don't bother. I'm right here."

Janette blinked her eyes clear and noted that Amelia was indeed there, brushing ash off her clothes but there. "You alright sis? I thought I sa-"

Amelia raised a hand to silence Janette and shook her head cutting off the questioning statement. "Im fine, promise. Just...had to clear my mind of things and so did Fawkes" she said with a weak smile. It wasn't very convincing but it was partly the truth. Hours of straight thought would do that. Shrugging out of her clothes down to her bra and panties she climbed into her bed letting her eyes close. Her limbs were too heavy, her mind far too tired and her spirit weary from the day before that she nearly missed the soft flesh pressed into her front. One tired eye opened and saw Janette cuddled up to her front nearly naked save for her lingerie. She was too tired to argue and instead snuggled the blonde hiding her face in her throat. She didn't want to think, didn't want to dream and if Janette wanted to distract her she would take it greedily as much as the other selflessly offered.

"Go to bed" Janette whispered softly and embraced Amelia tightly to her form. She could feel the tenseness in her sisters muscles, a thought that made her frown deeply. The smile hadn't convinced her she was ok and thjs just added to it. Whatever was plaguing the younger witches mind earlier obviously still was and if it was possible Fawkes almost had a guilty look if phoenixes could muster one with their physiology. Once she was absolutely certain Amelia was completely asleep she motioned Fawkes over. "Get Luna and bring her in here. I know shes still up worrying about Amelia too."

Bird and girl returned in two minutes as Fawkes took perch on the windowsill watching her sleeping bondeds form be cradled like a broken toy being protected by the other toys in the toy box. The poor girl had the weight of the world on her shoulders and it wasn't fair but maybe with soft hands like those two, a small mental smile graced her image seeing Amelia snuggle fiercely between the two blondes and wrap an arm protectively around their waists so they couldn't leave her sleeping grasp, it wouldn't be so hard for her to handle. **'I know you two girls will do it anyways but.. I need your help. She bears the worlds weight on her shoulders and she'll need people to help her sta-**

"Stay centered/Stay true to her own without collasping into a mold and losing herself" Janette and Luna said softly at the same time finishing the thought for the phoenix.

"You don't even have to ask us. Family looks out for each other" Luna said quietly and pressed her form flush with Amelias back. The tenseness in the older witches muscles made her rather unhappy but it was easing little by little it seemed.

Fawkes nodded head once and felt a warmth fill her chest at the protectiveness these two girls showed for her bonded. It was then she decided that these three would be her clutch. Given her kind being so rare finding a mate would incredibly hard to do if not flat out impossible so finding a replacement for children was second best and fate was kind enough to deliver it to her in the form of these three girls even if she never outright called them her own out of respect & only used the title within the confines of her mind. Tucking her head under her wing she settled on the idea that sleep was a good idea. **'Goodnight my children.'**

Luna and Janette looked over at once shocked. They could only guess the thought was meant to be private but accidentally came out on the broadcast. While Janette was blinking her shock away Luna almost immediately let the shock pass and smiled softly in understanding. She would always love her mother but to deprive another woman of the chance to be a mother type figure was cruel no matter if said woman was a scary intelligent magical creature. "Goodnight mum, we love you too" she said in a gentle tone and made a motion she would explain later to Janette with her eyes.

Fawkes froze momentarily hearing the reply but felt that warmth in her chest flutter. It was small and insignificant in the greater scale of reality but to her it meant so much & she knew Luna understood that. **'Sleep well my clutch. Keep the bad dreams from your sister, she needs a reprieve from her worries.'** Even if it was just a private indulgence she was glad at least Luna would consent to being treated as her daughter.

"We will mum. We protect our own" Janette said returning her gaze to Amelias sleeping face, her features finally and fully relaxed. She leaned down and kissed the younger witches temple before whispering a soft sleep spell that would ensure the younger girl would get a proper amount of rest but also ensure her sleep was dreamless to keep her woes away whatever it was that had been bothering her.

Fawkes more contently shifted her head under her wing hearing that. Perhaps the idiot Dumbledore did have a purpose after all. **'I know girls but your sister is stubborn. The flock sticks and flies together. I can already tell she will always need you two no matter what the future throws at you three. '**

Luna nodded her head slightly and pressed a kiss into the soft flesh of Amelias neck content to feel the tense muscles drop. Perhaps she could coax out what had made the older witch so tense tomorrow with careful gentle prodding. They had several days to the Yule break still so most areas of the school would be deserted. A quiet room away from people, soft music to give the atmosphere a softness and perhaps she could convince her father to get her a bottle of non-alcoholic wine their house elves would often serve her glasses of at major celebrations with other Houses heirs in attendance. Yes, that would be a fine idea. With that firmly cemented in mind she closed her eyes to let Morpheus take her for now.

* * *

Potter family quarters

* * *

James Potter was pacing in front of the fireplace with a frown marring his features. Edver since Albus had been dragged away by Aurors he had conflicted about the millions of thoughts racing through his mind. _'Alexandria going missing wasn't our fault. He sabotaged the spell sending her who knows where hoping that she would die!'_ This thought completed another circuit as the dying fire cast shadows about his long face. For a moment he caught sight of his reflection in the silver flames and grimaced. His untamed black hair was streaked with a more than healthy coloring of greys and whites, something easily attributed to spending so long hoping and praying his oldest child was alive out there somewhere. Worry lines marred his face and instead of a dashing mearly fifty who could pass as mid forties he looked like a wizard approaching eighty. He felt it too in his bones.

"Come to bed love. You'll think yourself into an early grave at this rate." Lily looked at her husband in concern as sne clutched her robe with worry written in her own eyes. She could make a certain guess just what was eating at her husband and she admittedly was just as distraught. Every day after they had activated the spell that was supposed to whisk Amelia to the safety of Sirus' estate in the country side and their daughter never did they had always assumed they had messed it up in their haste. They had assumed their rush cost them their daughter forever. But now they knew better. Their Alexandria was alive, their baby girl was alive. _'But she wants nothing to do with you or your husband. You both blindly listened to that fool Dumbledore and just as blindly believed him a paragon of Light'_ the dark part of her mind snarled.

"We were absolute fools. We trusted him so blindly." There was a hollow bitterness to the laughter that escaped James' lips as he said it that made him feel a hundred times older than he already felt. "We..." He slapped himself to banish the thought. "There has to be a way to fix this Lils'."

Lily shivered and closed her eyes at the bitter and hollow words that escaped her husbands lips. James was always so light of spirit, heart and humor so hearing something decidely hollow escape him was chilling. "Maybe we can ask Michael to relay a message. Remember how he said he talked to Alexandria and Luna before the ball? She never said yes or no to his request about speaking with him more but to take it under advisement, presumably with Luna, before rendering a decision. Our previous blind follow will surely be held against us but maybe if we put a message together carefully trying to explain..." she trailed trying to sound hopeful of the matter.

James said nothing and briefly turned his gaze to Lily. Not for the first time he was struck by how much she, like him, aged so much in fifteen years. Yes she was still beautiful. Yes she was still every bit as physically desirable. But the thing that most wouldn't notice, or if the they didn't point it out those around them out of respect, were the small things. The streaks of grey in her vibrant red hair, the worry lines on her face though far less than his, the way there was almost always a tiredness in her gaze and when they were in close company- mainly by themselves or in the company of Remus and Sirius- her smile would often be replaced with a serious almost muscle memory scowl or grimace. "Perhaps." His eyes closed as he heard her take steps to come closer before he felt her arms wrap around him. "She has your violent temper." It was a weak joke but at least an attempt to lighten the depressingly heavy mood.

"And your lack of tact" Lily responded rolling her eyes. "Come back to bed, please." She leaned up and kissed James' cheek softly. "We can compose the message when we have some sleep under our belts. If nothing else the very least we can hope for her to be at least cordial to us if worst comes to worst."

"Lets not hope it comes to that." James lead Lily back to their bed and laid down holding her close to him. Even as she fell in a slightly less fitful sleep he remained awake. If Alexandria truly had Lilys violent temper in its entirety and his socially inept lack of tect at that age he didn't feel as hopeful as his wife tried to make herself sound. On the contrary, he was already expecting their actions after the First Task of the tournament to cement Alexandrias opinion of them and possibly not only to tell her brother to fuck off but tell she told them to fuck off too & never bother her ever again.

* * *

The first thing Amelia noticed when she woke up was that she couldn't move. At all. She remembered falling asleep after snuggling into Janette but who was pressed into her back? They were female from the feeling of breasts pressed into her back so that narrowed it down some. Turning her head with difficulty she caught long strands of blonde hair coming over shoulder. _'When did Luna crawl into my bed?'_ she wondered spotting the pixie and crumple horned snorkack print pajamas on the sleeping girl.

 **'Your sisters were worried about you after we returned. Janette joined you first like I'm sure you remember. After you were asleep she asked me to Lbrin Luna to you two citing her worry of our absence after yesterdays events.'** Fawkes lifted her head hearing the faint echo of Amelias waking thought in her head.

"Ok... But why did you call them my sisters? Yes Janette technically is but Luna is not." The sleepy confusion as Amelia extracted herself from the two girls sleeping forms, a fairly difficult task without waking them she noted as the snuggled together to make up for her lost body heat, as she turned to her familar and wiped at her eyes. If it was possible she swore Fawke almost gave off a sheepish energy and looked anywhere but at her directly. "Fawkes... Fess up."

 **'I may have accidentally broadcast a thought I meant to keep private to myself.'**

"Thats not telling me anything." Amelia gave the phonenix a half awake pout-scowl, she could be quite juvenile in the morning before she had her first cup of coffee, as she she went a out picking out an outfit for the day, black tight jeans witb a royal purple blouse and a size too big but comfy lined jacket to combat the chill in air. "I expect the full answer when I come back from my shower. Or I'll think of ways to make you uncomfortable until you fess up." Leaving the phoenix to stew she entered the bathroom and stripped off her lingerie. "Damn it all, I forgot to grab clean lingerie" she growled softly upset at her own fault. Wrapping her jacket around her form she quickly grapped a fresh bra and panty set before running back into the bathroom unintentionally and unknownly flashing Luna a view of her ass & naughty bits.

* * *

In another part of Hogwarts Michael Potter lay on one of the Ravenclaw common room couches meticulously working his way through foreign countries famous families. After the ball he spent far too much time trying to trace where he had heard the name Nightshade before. It was European, that he knew for certainty, but what part was the problem. His eyes widened slightly as he came across a mention in passing related to a french family that went back to the founding of magical France. "Together with the aide of the Delacour, De LaCroux and Nightshade families, among many other prominent bloodlines that thrive in this day and age,.magical France saw an interconnection between not only wizard witches and magical creatures but other magical communities around the globe" he read to himself silently. So it wasn't precisely what he was looking for but it was a clue to just what caste his sister landed in. He had come to the same conclusion as his parents, that his sister had been blood adopted and therefore untrackable under her birth name, and felt a need to understand precisely understand even in part what conditions she had grown up in.

"Hitting the books already Pot Head?"

Michael ignored the jab from one of his friends and continued reading even as he responded. "Its not homework related Zayne. Its personal stuff" he said turning to the appendix page. "Nightshade, Nightshade, Nightshade..." His eyes caught sight of a single page number and turned to it devouring what little information was there.

The girl scoffed and put her hands on her hips glaring lightly at Michael. Zanya Krane, or as Michael often called her Zayne just to annoy her, was fairly attractive for a girl sorted into a house of mostly plain jane bookworms that was Ravenclaw. Nearly 5'5 she was taller than most of the girls bar a few exceptions, she was certain being short or shortish was a female Ravenclaw requirement, and having a chest that put her on the bustier side of the student population at Hogwarts she knew she drew a lot of eyes. _'I mean the only one who doesn't give a second glance is this dolt_ _'_ she thought. A small part of her was upset about it because even though she would deny it to everyone, even herself but that only worked for so long, she did have a **tiny** crush on the male Potter heir who had been her bestfriend all her life. "Personal how Pot Head? Trying to impress a foreign witch? Or perhaps one of those burly Durmstrang boys? That Krum guy has been eyeing you up" she said tapping her foot as she angled her head to seek the title of the book stealing Michaels attention. _' **Europes Noble Families**_? _Why would he be reading something like that? And whats that Nightshade girl got to do with it?'_

Michael leveled a cold look at his friend from over the rim of his reading glasses. He didn't know whaf side of the bed she woke up on to be in this mood but he was not in the mood. Between waiting for Alex- Amelia, he corrected himself, to give him an answer about possibly speaking again and the subtle things he had been picking up on he was in no mood to deal with Zanyas snark. "Neither" he said with a sharp cutting tone. Returning his gaze to section he had abandoned his mind whirled at the possibilities. Perhaps getting Amelias attention to consider giving their parents a chance just became a thousand times much harder than he originally thought it might be if the blurb about the Nightshade bloodline was right.


	10. Its a perfect time for an execution

Amelia saw nothing but red as the Daily Prophet in her hands went up in flames. Three weeks, three weeks of normality after Dumbledores arrest and now it was gone in a cruel slash of ink. Standing from her seat the flames that turned the newspaper to ash fell from her hands and onto the section of stone bench she'd been sitting. Paying it no mind she stalked out set on venting her anger. What she wouldn't see or hear about later is the fact her her fire **melted** the stone to liquid slag that melted **through** the masonry of the floor

Luna and the rest of The Keep students gave Amelia more than a fair amount of space as the papers on the table **ALBUS DUDMBLEDORE CLEARED OF ALL CRIMES AGAINST GIRL-WHO-LIVED** mockingly dared them to pick it up and read the story below the moving photo of Albus Dumbledores shackles being undone before the british Minister of magic shook his hands mouthing something. The blonde witch chanced a look to her cousin and was scared to say that the aura that was visible TERRIFIED her. Not only was the aura _visible_ , something only feasible for the most magically gifted and powerful individuals older than them by decades, but the color was a deep dark maroon like fresh blood spraying out of a severed artery borderling chaotic light sucking inky black. As far as she was aware due to her mothers notes, dark colors for auras were **very very bad** . Dark auras were associated with extremely negative emotions and her educated guess told her that Amelias emotional state was murderous.

Over at the Gryffindor table no one made a sound as some eyes darted rapidly between the Daily Prophet, Amelias form before the Great Hall doors violently slammed shut and the hall actually trembled from the force. "You think she could teach us how to do that?" All eyes snapped to the pair of Weasley twins whose eyes were focused on the molten hole in the castle floor. No one dared approached it as Fred, or was it George, held a fork above the hole and dropped it. The fork was metallic liquid before it passed through the hole from the heat emitting from the rim and for a long minute no one heard a splat signifying it had hit the bottom.

Over at the Ravenclaw Michael was in no better shape as he tore the paper to shreds startling his house mates with the semi-violent action. Calm, composed and pleasant but relatively unattached to anyone was his normal means of being in public but seeing proof that the manipulative bastard Dumbledore was able to get off scott free with trying to murder his sister! Oh that tossed that version of himself out the window in favor of a more violent version who wanted to see the bastard die. Pushing away from the table he stalked away with his own aura manifesting, not nearly as malicious as Amelias but sufficiently malicious, a dark red like the heart of a fire as he shoved one of his hands towarsa the door to grab the handle only for the door to burst into ash. If he was in a right state of mind he might've questioned why but he wasn't and thusly did not care as he left through the ash pile as the metal fixing on the wall glowed red hot.

* * *

For nearly a week Amelia was nowhere to be found and this worried more than a few people up the wall. Chief among them was Luna, Janette, Joyce, the Potter family members and some of the girls at The Keep who at one point or another the witch had dated. Just when Joyce was about to authroize a war party to track down Amelia a portal opened in the middle of the Great Hall. All present parties, which was nearly everyone considering it was dinner time in the castle, tensed before two people stepped out; perhaps stepped out was being too generous. One person stepped through and the other was being dragged by the neck behind the first with a metallic barbed rope digging into their neck painting the masonry red with a generous splatter of blood. The first person was recognizable enough despite her change of style. Abandoning anything respectable for an academic environment she had worn before she looked ready to fight in a war zone. Dresssed in a dragonhide trench coat that was open in the front, combat fatigues that showed hints of being taped from the ankles up, a tight shirt that was hinted to be three quarter sleeved, dragon skin combat boots and covered with a steel mesh overlay on top of her shirt she looked every bit the part of a vengeful goddess.

Luna looked up hopefully to confirm the enraged goddess before them was indeed Amelia all well and in good health before a shudder raced down her spine. All the weapons that now adorned her person made her feel pity who ever was stupid enough to think they could take her on and win. Between the copious amounts of pistols lining either side of the open trench coat in their own holsters, the abundance of knives in sheathes on her belt and a long gun on strapped across her back Amelia was a fearsome sight. Her gaze was inevitably drawn to the person she was dragging behind her and in a moment her hands were covering her mouth in shock. Looking no better than a muggle prisoner of war during the World Wars was Albus Dumbledore. His hands feet were enshackled with runic cuffs, his beard was stained maroon with dried blood and he was beaten to all hell after being tortured for the Goddess knows how long if the rags that were once his usual splendor robes told any story.

"You British retards revere this excuse of a man as the next coming of Merlin!" Many winced at the hatred in her voice, a hard cross sneer painted on her features. "Do you know what your great Albus Dumbledore tried to do after being freed? HE TRIED TO FINISH ME OFF SINCE HIS FIRST ATTEMPT TO KILL ME FAILED!" Amelia noticed many more wince at the volume of her voice. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed an upper year lion patch reach for his wand. Quicker than he could draw a bullet pierced through his hand staining his robes red with his blood as agonized screams escaped his throat only for Amelia to silence him with a spell. "If anyone tries to interrupt me again or draw your wand on me I **will aim to permanently disfigure you and destroy your wand for interfering with Business of The Crown** **. Got it maggots?!** " she asked with a demonic smirk. No one moved, not even to help the injured boy bleeding heavily from his gaping wound.

Luna quivered in her seat at the violent being before her. This wasn't Amelia she tried to tell herself. This wasn't her cousin she quickly came to love and adore. This violent goddess of destruction and vengance was not the gentle soul who spilled parts of her guts to her when she tried to drag out what had been bothering her weeks ago. _'But this is your cousin. Everyone has a dark side no matter how small little cresent moon'_ her mind retorted, a rebuttal she buried instant to focus on Amelia.

"After the article proclaiming his free and clear you all saw me leave here. What none of you saw was what came after." Amelia tugged hard on the barbed metal rope forcing Dumbledore to his feet. "This pitiful excuse of a wizard tracked me down and tried to kill me with a replacement wand. A lot you are asking yourselves how I know this no? Illegal tracking charms placed by him on every foreign witch and wizard the moment we set foot on this Goddess forsaken back water school. Spells placed in the food through the use of brewed potions."

The Keep and Durmstrang students suspiciously cast diagnostic charms on their persons before looking alarmed. In moments the expenditure of magic dispelling the tracking charm, a common one, choked the younger years of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors not used to so much magic happening at once around them for a few moments before they could breathe easy.

"When he failed to kill me again I had enough. With the same violence he used to TRY and murder me, well you see where your mongrel has landed himself." Out of her pocket Amelia pulled out a sheet of paper bearing the seal of the monarchy. "This is the summary execution order for one Albus Brian Percival Wulfric Dumblefore on two counts of my attempted murder signed by the Queen of England and both Prime Ministers." On cue nearly the whole of Gryffindor cried out in outrage before two bullets were shot through the center of the table collapsing it silencing the lion patched students in fear. "Consider for a moment you fucking sheep" she sneered "the gravity of the crime when you factor in he orchestrated the attempts on the life of a direct descendant of Godric Gryffindor via the connection the Potter family has to it by marriage. Not mention-"

"Not to mention that the bloodlines of Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were tasked to protect the British Isles, more specifically the nation of Britian. In other words for the less informed he is guilty of the attempted murder of Her Majestys Royal Knight." Every eye snapped over to the doors where a platoon of the British Magical Guard. Dressed in gold and black dragonhide armor & armed with staves they cut a fearsome image as they marched up to and stopped before Amelia, the soldiers stopping as one and offering a salute to the witch. "A thousand pardons our lateness Lady Evans-Gryffindor-Nightshade, we met resistance from a Ministry stooge named Crouch."

"At ease men." Amelia almost smirked as the horror of it all settled into the Gryffindor students faces but restrained the urge. "Captain, take the men you need and construct the gallows on the grounds. The prisoner hangs at dawn."

"At once ma'am. You heard her men, lets get the gallow built." Half the men left before turning to the look around the hall. "Her Majesty has granted us the leeway to deal with those who interfere with the execution in the same fashion. You lot might be brainwashed by the prisoner but if you interfere or try to help the prisoner escape his execution you will meet your fate in the gallows as well."

"Enough talk captain" Amelia said with a scowl. The man had the decency to look embarrassed before trodding off to aid in thd construction of the gallows. "Take one last look at your precious second coming of Merlin. Just after day break he will be dead." Amelia looked to the remaining men and made a motion for them to take Albus away. "Secure him in the brig. No visitors whatsoever I don't care if its his mother."

* * *

A fruitless search of the castle & no sightings of Amelia, Dumbldore or the British Magical Guard had the combined parties of The Keep representatives plus the Potter family seet around a table with similar looks of concerns or grimaces. Having witnessed the cruelty that Amelia displayed they were worried to say the least, more so Luna and the Potters since The Keep kids were used to Amelias dark side. "So who is going to say it?" Janette asked as her grimace deppened.

Michael broke first. "I'm more than a touch concerned about her display earlier" he said steepling his fingers before his face witb a rather fierce scowl.

"You shouldn't be" one of The Keep girls said drawing all eyes to her. "Amy is a not quite dark soul, neither black or white but a dark shade of grey. Her magic can be foul and malevolent as her temper. Be thankful she didn't truly show how malevolent she can be when truly irritated. **That** would be true cause for concern."

"What do you mean how malevolent she truly can be Ms..?" Luna asked letting the question trail off.

The black haired girl rolled her eyes slightly and tilted her hair making strands of dyed green hair obscure a violet eye. "Kelly O'Connor" she said. "Amelias anger in true fashion and unrestrained cruelty could without doubt destroy this castle without breaking a sweat before she turned the rubble to its base elements leaving a field where we currently sit."

"Kell is right. Even though our individual magics are titanic in synch when we practice our alchemy or War magics in tandem, her individual magics and abilities are nothing to underestimate. Her specific alchemy is geared towards pure destruction. Very few things have been able to resist her alchemy. Add on the hours that she spends on her training in Dragon Priestess and Dragon Slayer magic with her mantle as Lady Evans shes a budding magical titan in the making."

"So her display in the Great Hall was.." Lily hesitated for a moment as she cast a worried glance to her husband "tame compared to the worst it could possbly be?" she asked finding the right words to suss out a response.

"Incredibly tame. If she wanted to go full bore she would have to torn him limb from limb in the hall, cut him open adams apple to groin to let his organs spill onto the floor in a sea of blood in front of everybody before conjuring railroad spikes to pin the individual pieces to the wall. That is the least of her full bore rage and fury" Janette said.

James, Lily and Michael exchanged much more worried glances. If Amelia was able of such cruelty she needed help. "Thats dark" Michael said voicing his parents thoughts.

"Her soul isn't dark but stained dark grey from the magic like we said. She doesn't seek out sadistic pleasure from making people suffer but if they earned her wrath well... Shes not beyond making them suffer and regret it into their eternalddemise."

* * *

Sat alone atop the astronomy Amelia trembled slightly with her face buried her knees. The deed was done but now she knew many were scared of her or outright feared her capactiy for cruelty. _'Stupid stupid stupid! Why did you have to do it so...PUBLICALLY!'_ she scream a ed at herself mentally. She had hoped that her reapparance at the castle would be in a place where there wouldnc't be people to see her dragging a shackled and beaten Dumbledore through but nnnoooo it had to be in the Great Hall during dinner. Her peers at The Keep knew she possessed an immense darkness but seeing the horror etched in Lunas eyes at what she did, that hurt her. It hurt a lot more than she had thought even the worst painful physical injury magnified by an order of ten would feel like. "She probably wants nothing to do with me now. Who can love a monster even if its family" she muttered to herself as her unseeing gaze brimmed with tears.

"Because as much as the monster scares you" Lunas voice drifted up the stairs "that doesn't mean they are beyond redemption. Nor does it mean that the actions behind making one act like a monster are unjust and deserving." Her head appeared first and her gaze, though traces of fear lingered in the background, landed lovingly on Amelia with concern heavily written into her gaze. Seating herself beside the trembling witch she noticed the flinch at her first touch before the older girl buried herself into her warm embrace. "I know that darkness scared you as much as it scared us" she said softly as her arms tightly wrapped around Amelia as a soft show of support and something for her to divert her attention to instead of her thoughts.

"Worse." The word took a time or two to come out clearly. "I don't.. I don't find the suffering of others to be...entertaining... I don't like to hurt people like that kid who dared to try drawing his wand on me" Amelia said, her words coming out slightly muffled against Lunas chest. "Its part of the curse."

A gentle hand tipped Amelias head up and placed a delicate finger upon her lips to prevent her speaking further. "Dumbledore was a bad person even though we will never know just how many people he has truly been the master mind of making their lives miserable correct?" Luna asked maintaining the gentle pressure of her finger making the older witch nod. "He tried to kill you not once but twice correct?" Another nod. "Then his fate was sealed with his own actions. Your summary execution backed by the crown was justified. I'm not afraid of you Amelia."

A short flutter of relief came to life in her chest. "You're not?" she asked with a hopeful undertone to her words. "But you sai-"

"I said I was scared, not that I was afraid. I had to remind myself we all carry a dark part of ourselves no matter how good we try to be" Luna said bopping her cousin on the nose. "Being scared is a temporary state. Being afraid is a lot more permanent for most. How could I be afraid of my only living family that isn't adopted into the family? Tell me how I could be afraid of you when you accepted me with open arms and an even more welcoming heart." Her lips pulled into a soft smile as she leaned the short distance between them and pecked the witches lips softly in reassurance. "I don't fear you cousin. I love you too much to ever be truly fearful of you. I promise you with the Goddess as my witness nothing and I do mean nothing will ever change that. You could become a mass murdering psychopath and I would still love you because I know that no matter what happens or what you do, I know theres a tender heart underneath it all that only wants whats best for the people you love and you'll fight to your last breath to make sure we have it."

Little by little the trembling stopped til the last tremor died and a small smile came to tug at her lips spotting the tell-tale silver glow of magic accepting her oath though to eyes like her own she knew it wasn't the normal acceptance but one accepted by the Goddess herself. "You didn't have to make an oath" she said as she settled into a comfortable position against Luna. Despite preferring to be the big spoon she didn't mind being the culddle-ee instead of the cuddler in this instance.

"I know." Luna ran a hand loving through Amelias hand as she closed one eye. "But there is no other really true way to prove sincerity of word or action. Plus" she paused for a moment before leaning down to kiss the top of Amelias head "I meant every word of it. I don't care what you do or become in the future. You could be the next Dark Lady and I wouldn't so as much blink because I know you enough to know you wouldn't do it for shites and giggles or just because you can. Your actions are thought out and have a very good, very valid reason behind them." Her grip loosened as she leaned back against the stone. "Why do I always find you alone up here at night when you sequester yourself away in solitude?"

"When my mother Kathrine first took me to Gringotts on my birthday and we found out who I was by birth due to a heritage test she revealed to me just how I came into her care." Amelia shifted slightly and closed her eyes as her head lay on Lunas chest. "She always called me her dark little angel since I was quite literally dropped into her hands during a new moon because of magic or so she believed. We know it now because of the corpses work but back then my mother thought it was the work of our Goddess granting her hearts deepest desire. She couldn't have her own children and always yearned for a child of her own. Then I appear and her faith in our Goddess was made that much stronger. After I was formally blood adopted I lived a really good childhood" she said through a yawn. "I grew up learning magic in it rawest form. Wandless magic is a misnomer since mages and sorceresses of old were able to harness magic wirhout a wand long before foci were needed to channel magic. But thats off topic... She taught every branch of magic under the sun, even the Black Arts that the Nightshade family was famous for using that made them walking disasters in the eyes of our enemies."

"The Black Arts are ev-"

Amelia put a finger up to Lunas lips silencing her without opening her eyes. "Magic is not Light or Dark. Magic is a natural **neutral** force we could spend our while lives researching and never hope to fully understand. For arguements sake I could use a 'Dark', dark under British Ministry laws anyway, spell to hurt you and that makes sense to you since its what you learned growing up. I could just as simply also use an everyday cleaning charm and permanently blind you, a spell that the ministry would define as an everyday 'Light' spell. Magic is about intent of what you want it to do, magic itself is neutral in all regards to the whims of those who wield it. Wizards and witches are what makes a spell 'Dark' or 'Light' in what they plan to do with it" she said with another yawn. "Back to my story before I fall asleep on you. I learned everything about magic under the sun but my favorite magic was my mothers lessons on astronomy. The stars are proof that out Goddess is not one singular being but a collection of many. It is perhaps the romanticized version but its something I find comforting knowing my mother is up there with our Goddess watching over me."

Lunas eyes softened as she rested her cheek on Amelias head. "I think I understand" she said in a quiet voice.

Amelia laughed softly and shook her head as she drew her finger back. "No you don't Luna. Not yet anyway. Perhaps in time you will" she said. "This may sound a little selfish but... I'm comfy like this. Would it be too much to ask you to sleep in my bed tonight? When you and Jane slept with me snuggled up on either side I.. I can't recall sleeping that soundly in a long time. Not since mums funeral before the school year started."

Lunas gaze softened even more at the shy request and rubbed her cheek lovingly against Amelias head. "I don't mind and it isn't selfish to ask me either" she said a sweet smile gracing her lips. "Honestly I would be more upset if you didn't ask for cuddles."

"Cheeky bint." Amelias eyes opened showing a thankfulness and glowed with a soft love as they peered into Lunas own, her words lacking any real meanness as it was said with an air of playfulness. "Lets go then, the cockrow is nigh and we have lessonsn to attend after nine am" she said disengaging from the blonde witch and standing before offering a hand up in assistance.

Luna thought for a moment she saw the illusion of pitch black wings emerge from Amelias back. Wings as dark as the night sky but mismatched in design, one a delicate angel like wing with mixed blood red & black feathers while the other wing was a dragon wing of blood red & black scales. "Tenebrus Angelus-Draconus" ihe whispered almost reverently to herself as she took Amelias hand pulling hersf to her feet.

Amelia shook her head with a tiny smile playing at the edges of her lips. "Not pure enough to be an angel or purely vicious of heart to be a dragon. I am what I am Luna" she said squeezing the small hand in her own gently. "I am a guardian, a protector." She kissed the soft flesh of the blondes knuckles after bringing it to her lips. "But if that is what you wish me to be for you, just ask me and it shall be done. For my family and the ones I love I would forsake the 'Light' and embrace the 'Dark' as a whole if it meant their safety. Do you wish me to be your Dark Angel-Dragon Luna?" she asked with a quiet softness to her voice.

"That depends." Luna smiled softly back in return hugging Amelia close and snuggling into Amelia.

"If you mean to ask fiercely would I fight for you, you don't have to. I thought my display earlier, unintended as it was, would tell you I would kil-

"Not what I was going to ask" Luna said looking up so their eyes met. "I was going to ask how often would I be able to see my red and blacked winged angel truly smile & relax? I know my happiness is important to you but the same is said about me for you."

"Oh Luna you silly girl" she said rubbing the blondes back gently. "As long as I have my friends and family I'll always be happy. I thought I made the fact quite clear." Amelia shook her head and embraced Luna smiling softly as she let her magic go, a warmth surrounding them as like the illusion the real things cocooned them as they escaped the seal on her back.

* * *

A/N: so another chapter down and i can say with certainty im pleased. But here is a question to my readers should be quiet clear: IS ALBUS DUMBLEDORE ACTUALLY DEAD OR DID HE PULL A BARTY CROUCH JR AND LEAVE A PATSY TO TAKE HIS DEATH SO HE CAN SCHEME ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO KILL AMELIA?!

Who knows? Oh, before you accuse me of writing her OP purposely- its not supposed to imply that way. Her dragon slayer and dragon priestess magic combined with alchemy is supposed to show how advanced her magic is added to her near to nonexistent patience for those who try to kill her.


	11. Her machinations

Amelias eyes narrowed in frustration at the person before her. _'Or should I say people_ _'_ she thougnt crossing her arms under her chest. "Potter" she said in a curt icy tone. "I agreed to meet and talk to **you** , not them." Her narrowed glare focused on James and Lily who lingered near their table in the Hogwarts library. "I'm leaving. Have a nice life. You were almost redeemable even if you are cut of the same genes as them. Guess I was wrong."

Michael cursed and glared at the direction his parents were lingering. He had them specifcally **NOT** to follow him to the meet but did they ever listen to their smart son? Nnnoooo... "Amelia wait!" He shoved his chair back and sent a scathing glare at his parents before running after his elder sister. "Look, hear me out please? I told them not to follow me and that it would kill any goodwill you might think to spare us" he said panting slightly as he managed to catch up. Retrieving a small book from the inside of his robe and extended it out to her. "This is what I wanted to show you. Everything you need to know is in there" he said straightening his posture a bit.

Amelia eyed the book warily and looked back up at Michael. "What is it? I don't trust objects from people I know nothing about. Cursed objects are all too easy to make" she said with all the bluntness of a sledgehammer. "Beyond that its too easy to set complulsions on objects and hand them off to others. How do you think shamanic ritual performers of old would get 'willing sacrifices' to power the blood sacrifce necessary?"

Luna, who had been passing by on her way to lunch, stopped in her tracks seeing Amelia and Michael speaking about something. Well, Michael was doing most of the talking while her cousin looked severely annoyed and ready to strangle the Ravenclaw boy. Deciding someone needed to rescue them both from each other she jogged over with a wave and calling out to them both. "You two look like you found a grim omen in your tea" she said stopping a little away from the pair.

"Idiots" Amelia and Michael said at the same time.

Lunas eyes comically widened at the simultaneous response. _'If there was ever a doubt they were related now there isn't'_ she thought ."Ah, well the uninformed masses are indeed annoying." Noticing the book in Michaels hand her naturnal curiosity got the better of her and started to reach for it. Only to have her hand slapped away lightly by said boy.

"No book for you. Its House Potter information Lu for bloodline family only. Amelia seems to think its a cursed item" Michael said rolling his eyes.

 _'Ok Scholtz'_ Amelia thought to herself. Perhaps she would need to watch something modern when she got back to school if the first thing to come to mind was a dated Hogans Heroes reference. _'Then again it was a funny show for the time. Come to think of it some the idiots here at Hogwarts remind of the cast. Klink, Scholtz and just because I have the most fighting sense out anyone here not from The Keep or Durmstang that would make me Colonel Hogan. Only I kick more ass and have really great boobs as well as a perky ass.'_

"Well there is that prank you and the upper years pulled on all us firsties when my group came in" Luna said with a pointed look. The prank had been relatively harmless, a minor color sticking charm that would only affect the first years if they picked up particular books for study, but the effects wouldn't fade for nearly a month. "I had to put up being called Lumos Loony the whole year because of you remember?" That year had sucked since she had picked up one of the prank charmed books and it had turned her hands a bright neon yellow. To call her displeased was an understatement since Flitwick had to physically restain her with an Incarcerus spell to keep her from hexing much of the second year and higher Ravenclaws.

Hearing that Amelia was snapped out of her thoughts about her looks and shook her head. "Knowing that makes me much more less inclined to take it. Come on Luna, its time for your wandless casting practice." Taking the blonde girls arm she tugged the witch away amidst the girl whining about being able to walk on her own ability without being dragged like a child.

"Seriously! Chill out and let go so I can walk by myself" Luna said yanking her arm free. A quick inspection reveal Michael to be in the same spot down the hall with the book still offered out but clutched in his hand securely now. "Aren't you being a little harsh to him? I don't think the Potters as a whole, and by that I do mean Lord & Lady Potter, are as light as they claim but like I told you before at the Yule ball Michael is a good guy."

"Enchanting objects to make a laughing stock out of others does not make for good people in my opinion" Amelia said rather dryly. "Besides I have enough to shoulder as Lady Evans and Lady Nightshade. My only consolation is that my responsibilities as Lady Gryffindor I can shove off onto them and be done with it. I only needed to recognize being Potter born to access the Gryffindor name and rights that came with it long enough to deal with that dead bastard who tried to kill me twice before I put him down." Of couse she didn't mention stripping the Gringotts bank vault for Gryffindor of _**ALL**_ its worth. Sure it cost her a small forturne but a special trunk bought from Warlord Blood Sickle of the Goblin Nation ensured that like the bottomless bank bags this special chest was the same in principal. When the Potters found out there was only one single solitary knut in the Gryffindor vault, that everything but the one knut was taken, well she didn't care what they would think. "Aristocracy is not my scene and being a Royal Knight meant to protect the nation of Britain means I would have to... Stay here and actually give a shit about the people here & their problems" she said with a shiver of disdain.

Lunas eyes rolled as she punched Amelias shoulder hard. "You. Are. Terrible." Her lips did quirk up a little though as she looped one arm around her cousins. "So you said there was my wandless casting lesson to get to" she said pulling on the white haired witches arm.

"I may be terrible but you love me doll face" Amelia said with a cheeky smirk and wink. Lunas blush made her laugh before she stopped and blinked. "Oh, I knew that I was forgetting something. Luna, give me my arm back for a moment." Once it was free she held her hand out and focused intently before a sword appeared in her hand. "Godric, Godric, Godric... Sabers were out of style when you and the other founders created this school. Why you ever forged a saber to be the key to the quest is beyond me" she said shaking her head recalling the journal detailing a quest Godric began in his youtb but was unable to comple and so left it to his descendant who call forth his sword on strength of will alone to finish it.

Lunas eyes were incredibly large seeing the ornate but deadly blade. "Is that.. The blade of Godric Gryffindor?!" she asked bouncing on the balls of her feet excitedly. Such an artifact was rarely ever seen and for Amelia to summon it like nothing was beyond amazing to her.

"No, its a lightsaber from Star Wars." The blank stare she got back from Luna made Amelia facepalm. "Right, you were raised in the magical world alone. I have so much to teach you young padawan" she said said nodding sagely and pat her cousin on the head like a dutiful parent telling there was a method to her madness. Before Luna could ask more questions she made a motion to stab herself with the sword completely ignoring the shocked stupid look on the blondes face. Instead of being pierced and leaving a gory mess the sword disappeared into a tatto of a roaring lions head on right inner foream. "Not bad who knows how many times grandfather Godric. In fact its actually very very clever. Potter! Get your skinny ass front and center!"

Lunas jaw open and shut several times as did the other students in the hall she hadn't noticed before. The whispers of awe and utter shock weren't very far off from what the blonde witch imagined what her own facial expression was no doubt mirroring. There was lunacy, there was madness, there was pure unmitigated chaos and now she could say there was a force undeniable force in the world- Amelia and the knowledge she carried with her that toed the line of sheer destruction that she had little trouble imagining would tear the fabric of reality apart at the seams. "I need a drink" the blonde muttered kneading the bridge of her nose. Goddess above help her, love Amelia as much as she did the white haired witch was going to give _her_ white hairs before her education was complete!

Amelia grinned slightly and laughed. "Good lass, theres the Farseeker in ya!" she said with amusement coloring her features.

Michaels thoughts snapped out of themselves hearing his sister call for him. He hadn't seen her pull whatever little stunt she did to shock everyone so he assumed someone did something extraordinary. "Did you change your mind abou-"

"No I didn't but I did change my mind about one particular thing." Amelia slipped the Gryffindor Headship ring off and put it on top of the book in Michaels hand. "I don't need the Gryffindor ring anymore. Keept it, give it to your mom and dad so they can assume control of the House and the duties associated with it since only Potter blood can... I don't care what you do with it honestly. Who knows what goodies you might find? Hell, there might even be a Gringotts vault for Gryffindor House for you and your parents to explore" she said with an internal smirk. _'As in explore a giantic old vault with the singular value of one knut and thats it. One trip to the account manager and several trips before I came back executing that bastard Dumbledore I had the Fidelus changed on Gryffindor properties to me alone. What ones were left standing anyway and spent a pretty **penny** to have the goblins begin reconstruction of Gryffindor Mano_ _r'_ she thought. "Consider this a... Sign of my goodwill to **YOU** alone. Next time I say something listen to me and do exactly as I say. Don't blab it out and expect people to listen to you about what I said. Fail the next parley and you & yours are persona non grotta, got it?" she said. Without waiting for a response she turned and left dragting Luna beside her.

Michael blankly stared in shock between the ruby ring bearing the insignia of Gryffindor and the retreating form of his sister. If **this** didn't tell his parents to listen to him then nothing would.

* * *

Later that night Lily and James could be found with matching grimaces staring into the fireplace. The news Michael relayed was troubling to say the least. Declaring them persona non grotta if they disobeyed again? That was entirely wrong and far too harsh! She was acting like they were stalking her without reason! All they was doing was trying to get in a word to both apologize for being blind to Dumbledores true machinations, ask how to make it up to her and try to be apart of her life. They had spent the last fifteen years trying to find her and now she was within arms reach but she may as well be a million emotional miles away. Add on that the frailest olive branch they had, a very thin frail olive branch of a warning that could break in the weakest breeze, now rested heavy on James finger gleaming in the firelight.

"I don't like this James" Lily said breaking the silence. Alexandria was clear resourceful and intelligent. She understood the benefit to having Headship of Gryffindor House as evident by her use of power to execute Dumbledore for his crimes but she gave it up like yesterdays trash. "Something isn't right. I feel it in my bones and I _**REALLY**_ don't like it."

"I know" James replied steepling his fingers. "Theres far too many advantages to possessing Headship but she gave it up far too easily. Hinted at the possibility of a House vault at Gringotts." He stared into the fireplace harder as his grimace deepened. "That tells me she knows far more than there is on the surface but calling her on it would ultimately be the straw that breaks the camels back as the muggles say. You should head to Gringotts in London tomorrow. Check around and see if there is a vault or not."

Michael watched for a moment his parents interaction before slipping away. They had his sisters warning clear as day now. Now he had to work for a parley once more with her and hope that perhaps Luna would help him.

* * *

Luna hit the ground hard and grimaced as she wiped the blood from her mouth. Weeks ago she would have told you fighting physically was barbaric and uncivilized but after a thorough warping of her carefully constructed world, a construction made and influenced in large parts by the laws Dumbledore had passed as Chief Warlock to suit his view of 'civilized', Amelia had managed to drill into her that the ideas of backwards English 'Light' dark-lords were not the views of the world at large. As much as she practiced her wanded magic and magical dueling Amelia had gotten her into physical training as well. Calling the first week or two pathetic was kind but after religious morning workouts with her cousin the blonde was proud to say she was improving steadily.

"Again." Amelias stance was as relaxed as before while Luna charged her. The general buildup to get her fair haired cousin used to fighting without a wand was tedious but last week they had moved on to a basic form of self-defense that she was sure would suit Luna. She ducked the stiff movements and brought her elbow within centimeters of cracking into the blondes chest. "Stop stop stop. Enough physical practice for today. You're still far too stiff in your execution. Your build suggests fluidity and grace in equal measures like a dancer Luna, work _with_ your body to let them flow naturally into each other _instead of overthinking them_ " she said as she slid out of the blondes guard. "If that had been a true fight situation the force on the blow from my elbow would have cracked or broken several of your ribs and you wouldn't have been able to stop me hecause you're thinking kata A, kata B, kata C etc and forcing them robotically."

Luna pouted but couldn't help thinking Amelia was right. "We've only been at it proper for a week Amy. I'm still learning it the same metbodical way I've learned everything. Its the only way I know how. I mean you've been doing this stuff for years or it seems to me that way at least" she said with a slight whining tone.

"This is true but at the same time you possess a greater advantage than I did when I was learning" Amelia pointed out grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat from her face. "Those who are disciplined in the magick arts related to the mind or predispositioned to them by order of birthright like you are as a Farseeker descendant possess a unique talent when it comes to learning. I don't just mean book learning either. "

Luna raised an eyebrow in askance of Amelia to continue her explanation. She had heard something like this before but shrugged it off as wishful thinking or that nerdy bitcby know-it-all Granger who got off on making people feel stupid compared to herself

"It involves the use of Occlumency, a basic tool to us all. Basic but completely neccesary to guard our secrets from people who know how to tear them from our skulls using Legimency" Amelia continued plopping down on the stone ground beneath her. They had time to kill before she had to meet Joyce for a meeting about her strategy for the Second Task coming up soon. "For sake of simplicity, lets imagine that my mind contains the full secrets to manufacture the production of Flamels Philospher Stone and someone wants to take that infomation from me. How heavily invested should I be in knowing my mind has to be protected to keep those secrets safe?"

"Your mind would have to be impenetrable. With the rumors surrounding the Philosphers Stone being able to granted wealth beyond human measure and immortality those secrets would be desired by all that they would do anything to get it. Destroy your body, torture you to the brink of death and insantiy, other...less than desireable things" Luna said grimacing rather darkly at the end. "Everything short of actually leaving you a mindless husk but would rip your mind to shreds if they had to. How does this relate to helping me learn how to make me fight better? I'm not seeing the connection here."

"Thats because you're thinking rather laterally. Which disappoints me a little if I'm honest since unilateral thinking is boring and makes the wealth of applications magic can be used for mostly ignored. But I digress" Amelia said holding up a finger. "Most scholars and academics outside of England use a learning technique called The Scholars Crypt to organize everything they learn anywhere twice to four times the speed of those who don't use the technique."

"Speak plainly please. I already had enough of a time being treated like an idiot with that bitch Granger thinking shes the next Smarest Witch Ever after Morgana herself. I rather want to punch you right now Amy since this is the same kind of thing she did in every class I had to share with her" Luna said stealing the towel from Amelia and wiped the sweat off hersf along with the small traces of her own blood that had dried on her arms.

"I was getting there. No need to be impatient. Many texts here within Britain paint Occlumency as a way to organize your mind **after** you have done, seen or learned something. Which is partially true. That is the commonly known method of using Occlumency, sorting and defending what you have seen, done and heard after it has already happened. Now the method I am talking about is used _during_ the time it happens in an academic environment." Amelia gave it a moment to settle before continuing. "If you allow your magic to intertwine with your thoughts during the active learning process you get a few things out it. Number one, your clarity and ease of recall is flawless in all but the most extremely distressing situation. Number two, if you used this method in a fight or duel your reactions in terms of being able to spot how your opponent moves will give you several precious seconds on the actual move before it comes full circle provided you fully train your reflexes to match the speed of what your eyes are seeing."

Luna nodded her head as the benefits were laid out and in the simplest terms how to go about working to use the method in calculated steps so that she didn't overtax herself magically in the process. "So I can do all this and I could make Granger look really stupid ?" she asked with a devlish smirk.

"Its a petty reason to do so but yes, in theory once you could do it fully without having to take the process in steps youcould" Amelia said. "Just don't be overzealous in using it too much. Just like any magic it is heavily taxing in the beginning to those new to it." Standing up from the floor she cracked her back and turned slightly leaving her profile slightly darkened. "Go in my trunk and my copy of the boom detailing the information is in the red silk bag. I have to go talk with Joyce strategy. I'll be back in a bit" she said making her way to the Headmistresses quarter.

Luna nodded to herself despite knowing Amelia couldn't see. It would be a to learn and be a great help to her cousin. A help to what she couldn't say but something told her she would be a great help to the witch.


	12. Weight off the chest and Second Task

"You know that antagonizing the Potters is going to come back and bite you on the ass."

Amelia ignored Luna for a moment in favor of the roll of parchment in front of her she was studying. "Hmm? You say something about draping a red cloth in front of dumb lions face?" she asked looking up. The exasperated sigh made her grin slightly. Of course she had been listening, Luna should know that by now. "And who said I was antagonizing them without purpose? There is a method to my madness I assure you. I'll even give you two hints: one, it has to do with the fact I gave them the Gryffindor family heraldry ring to let them have the associated rights & two, it has to do with the laws of the British Wizengamot pre-dating the fifteenth century."

Lunas face screwed up in confusion at that. What did over five hundred year old...laws... Her eyes widened in understanding. Like every other Pureblood child she had been raised knowing the laws of the Wizengamot for the eventual coming that she replaced her father in the family seat. "Possessing the ring lets them sit the seat and express their opinions on the behalf of the house but without the First Blood artifact that corresponds to the seat they can't vote on any laws on the half of the Ancient & Noble house of Gryffindor. Lacking the artifact of the First Blood means they would be seen more as a proxy for the Lord or Lady of the House" she said as a crazed smile tugged at her lips. "You're sticking it to them by dangling a piece of power but keeping them bound to appeasing you in hopes you'll hand over what they need. But you won't."

Amelia said nothing but smirked silently as Luna worked it out. "Intelligent as ever dear cousin. But you miss one small detail" she said looking over with mismatched eyes lighting up in a way that told of cruel mischief.

"I'm all ears to listen."

Amelia was sorely tempted to make a sarcastic and slightly pervy comment but curbed the desire as her full attention turned to Luna. "I went to Gringotts. It was a most... Informative trip and quite eye opening to say the least."

If it was possible Lunas eyes went even wider at the implication. If there was a Gryffindor family vault then it was an easy treasure trove of forgotten knowledge, wealth, weapons, armor and everything else under the Goddesses gaze. "You didn't do what I think you did.. Did you?" she asked as her smile grew. Oh if Amelia was as cruel as she thought she might be then this was just too good. For them that was. If the white haired beauty had done precisely what she thought then the Potters, mainly Lily and James she knew that much, would now definitely receive her message loud & clear.

"Depends on what you think I did."

"Strip all the wealth and artifacts from it & transferred it to a separate vault. If I had to guess the Evans vault back home in Ireland" Luna clarified as she plopped down on the bed.

"I didn't strip _all_ of it. I did leave a single knut" Amelia said with an 'innocent' smile. "But strip the artifacts and everything else, family magic that guards the vault included, oh yeah. Then I learned about Gryffindor fidelus properties on the way out."

Luna didn't bother asking and chuckled already knowing the next response coming her way. "The properties that needed rebuilding you told the goblins to rebuild and switched the fidelus secret keeper to you. Knowing you, you probably trapped the goblin in charge of the Gryffindor account into an unbreakable vow that would prevent him from ever disclosing any information of what you've done til its too late. The paperwork would be all legal and the ink dry, there would be nothing the Potters could do to contest theft of family property since you used the temporary power of Lady Gryffindor to knowingly and willing give the secrets of Gryffindor away with no plausible way to get them back."

Amelia leaned over the books and parchment sheets before kissing Lunas temple. "Such a sexy intelligent brain. Such a bigger shame we're cousins" she said with a dramatic sigh pulling back.

"That didn't stop you from more than happily putting your tongue halfway down my throat during the ball" Luna said looking offended at Amelias sudden reluctance. "And what about Janette & her girlfriend? You promised a threesome with them and shes technically now your _sister_."

"Janette, Amanda and the threesome are a different animal altogether. Before I bled Janette into the family she was an ex. I only promised her the threesome because I was so certain she was going to die and well, then you saved her so I kinda boxed myself into a corner there. Not to say that Janette and Amanda aren't attractive but groups are not my thing with being that intimate. As for you, I already know you'll find a great person that will love you more than I could. Not to say I don't love you Luna, you are my cousin so I do love you that way and you are damn sexy as a woman, but I really don't think thats enough to give you the romance you deserve" Amelia said putting a hand on the blonde witches shoulder. "You deserve someone who will practically worsphip you and I don't have to have seer blood to know you will find that person. Whether they be a lucky guy or a more than lucky woman I can't tell you hecause I don't know. If I tried, and lets be real incest is such a rampant thing in our society that no one would care or raise an eyebrow at the fact we in this hypothetical situation are both cousins & lover, and we did forge a relationship out of our bond it wouldn't be fair to you. I have to handle two Houses legal matters, the financials... It all falls on me Luna and I would be terribly remiss as your cousin & lover in this hypothetical because when I get stressed out over things my patience wear thin. I get snappy, I yell, I curse and I sometimes say the cruslest of things to the people who mean the most to me. I don't want that to happen to you Luna.. I don't want to snap at you in this.."

Luna pressed a finger to Amelias lips and silenced her with a look. "I know where you're going with this. But you have to understand you aren't alone. I'll help you with all that because I know I'm going to be asking you for help when it comes to me sorting out all the Farseeker stuff" she said. "Besides that, until I meet this mystery person you're so certain I'm going to meet who will 'practically worshipc me whats wrong with us being a little intimate? Cuddles and kisses are a far cry from stripping down & asking you to ravish me you know."

Despite her snort Amelia did color slightly at the rather pointed comparison. "Fine, you got me there. I just.. I just don't want to stand in your way when that one person does appear ok?" she asked looking at Luna to press what she was trying to say with her eyes. "You're incredibly special Luna, special in so many and uniquely you ways that.."

"Shut up and kiss me before I spank you."

Amelia blinked but did as she was told and leaned forward kissing Luna softly, the parchment falling from her hands as she pulled the blonde onto her lap. Her eyes fluttered shut feeling slim arms circle her neck and Luna kiss her back just slightly rougher than she was the blonde. For a moment the world fell away except for her and Luna as she allowed the smaller witches tongue entrance into her mouth. Even if there were thousands upon thousands of words to described the pleasant sensation she thought none of them gave the way the warmth fluttering in her chest anywhere near due justice.

"For me Amy, don't think it over too much. Just let things go and develop as the Goddess has in her plan. Maybe she has plans for you to be that special person for me. Try not to think too long term if you can help it. Enjoy the here and now with the people love you & care about you" Luna whispered softly as she broke the kiss and nuzzled lovingly into one of her cousins cheeks.

"Would that make you happy Luna?" Amelia asked as she gently traced light patterns across the thin nightgown that the blonde was wearing. The faint nod and quiet part. yawn-part whine made her smile a little at the cuteness of the action. "Then I will, I promise you. But I need a promise from you in return."

Lun leaned back and looked confused at Amelia. What could she be asked to promise just so that her cousin would be slightly less uptight about being free with her affections as she had been? "Sure, anything" she said pawing her face with one hand after freeing it from around Amelias neck.

"If you meet someone who you truly begin to like and they aren't me, tell me. I'm going to sound like a broken record but I don't want us being more affectionate than muggles would deem approrpriate to get-"

"-in the way of what could be a truly special relationship for me. You're right, you are sounding like a broken record." A sleepy smile pulled at the edges of her lips as Amelias eyebrow threatened to twitch. "But I promise I'll tell you if you stop stressing the future so much. Theres planning for the future and than theres _planning for the future_ if you get what I mean. Don't let the innumerable variables and shifting streams of events rule your thoughts." She saw Amelias features relax and that made sleepy smile grow just slightly. "Get ready for bed and snuggle with me. Its late and you have the second task to face tomorrow, a good nights rest will do you a world of good."

"Do I have a choice in the matter?" Amelia asked half sarcastically as she pushed Luna off her lap before getting off the bed and began to shrug out of her clothes. Eyeing her trunk twenty feet away she judged it too far to walk and instead swept all her parchment rolls up into a bundle before putting them down on the bedside & climbed back into the bed in just her bra and panties. _'Its just tbe two of us snuggling anyways, perfectly harmless and mostly innocent'_ she thought pulling the blonde witch close so Lunas back was flush with her chest, her arms loosely wrapping around the others waist and resting lighytly on her covered stomach & their legs intertwining comfortably.

Luna felt a shiver run down her spine but pressed just a hair more into Amelias warm skin as her cousins breath tickled her ear while the white haired witch nuzzled into her hair. Sure they may look in the moment a pair of lovers ready to contently fall into Morpheus' gentle grasp, an idea she wasn't against by any means whatsoever, but the truth of it was she was happy to feel the other witches body truly relax. She might have been able to fool the others she that she wasn't stressing the tournament too much but her eyes saw the truth and that truth was that Amelias nerves were a wreck even if she played off a persona of her usual upbeat cheerfulness. Untangling their legs for a moment she turned in the witches grasp so they were facing each other before re-tangling their legs as she nuzzled into the soft hollow flesh of Amelias throat. "You don't have to act around me. I know how hard this tournament is riding your nerves. If you can't talk about it with the others I'm here to listen with open arms. You don't have to pretend its all fine with me, I'll listen if you need someone to vent to about. I won't say anything if that's what you need me to do but don't lie to me Amelia by pretending its all ok like you do around everyone else" she said between gentle kisses to her cousins throat and jaw.

Amelia said nothing and shuddered closing her eyes feeling a ghost light nip added to the mix as her hands caressed a light rune like shape across Lunas lower back. Were her nerves that transparent? Sure the night she was selected as the fourth champion her irritation was on full display, particularly after basically atomizing and absorbing the magic that created the Goblet of Fire, but she had thought she had a handle on keeping her grating nerves under control. "Its..." She struggled to find the right word for a moment. "Its like fighting a two pronged battle.. One front I have this abomination of a tournament and the other is the Potters trying to barge their way into my life. Its taking all I have to not go berserk like I did by killing the two dragons and their children when I thought Janette was a goner" she said quietly.

Lunas eyes silently pleaded for Amelia to continue. If she could get it off her chest, metaphorically speaking, she'd be a bit more aware for the task ahead and more clear of thought on how to deal with James & Lily Potter.

"Their attempts make me want to string them up in a gallows shackled so they couldn't save themselves and watch. But I know I can't. Or at least I shouldn't. Even if I was forced to acknowledge Potter blood to take up grandfather Godrics ring and seat for as short a time as I did, I can't leave Michael alone in the world. Those two are the center of his world as far as I know. He doesn't have any girlfriend or boyfriend I've seen when we are around the castle and spot him which leads me to believe hes single. This is all minor but in acknowledging that my beginnings include Potter blood I have to admit he is my... Younger brother. Someone I should love and care about but I feel next to nothing for him.".

Luna stopped her assault of kisses and gentle nips to let Amelia collect herself. "Does that bother you?" she asked resting her head on her cousins chest.

"No. Yes?" Amelia grimaced at the confusion that colored her tone. "Clinically I know it should bother me and to an extremely minute degree an equally small part of me is disturbed by it. The rest of me really could give two tosses less. My mother taught me the only people who matter are the family you are born with and the people you accept as family" she said letting her fingers toy absently with Lunas hair. "I mean if he died tomorrow I would be unaffected except that one microscopic part of me which really clings to the idea hes blood but you wouldn't see me blink an eye or shed a tear. Michael is a stranger to me, his mortality has no bearing on my life compass as it has been long set since I found my place as the Head of my two Houses and what I need to do for them."

The thought crossed Lunas mind that the thought was far more grim than she would voice but if it was possible it seemed Amelias shoulders sagged a little less. "And the other two Potters?"

"Shackle them up, block their cores and string em up from the gallows till they swing in the breeze like limp macabre wind chimes for all I care. They keep trying to barge into unwelcome territory in my life where they aren't wanted and I'll do it myself" Amelia said callously. "I know what I need to do. I know who I need to be happy. If they threaten to upset any of that their lives will end at my hand, be it the end of my wand or grandfathers sword."

"Rest cousin." It was a gentle command whispered against Amelias cheek but Luna was pleased to watch the older witch listen as her eyes closed. "Dream of what and who makes you happy. When the task is over tomorrow I'll be the first to greet you with open arms and a waiting relief for you safe return" she said quietly. Her eyes softened as the near silent breaths told her Amelia was already asleep. "Guess it was good to get those emotional weights off your chest after all huh? Sleeping like a rock and I didn't even get to finish my soft assurances." She snorted silently and just pecked Amelias lips once before snuggling into her warmth letting it rock her into a soft pleasant dream.

* * *

Lilys eyes were rather hard as she sat down to the table in the quarters she and James shared. Having returned from London from all she had to do, not just go to Gringotts, she was rather short of pleased at the moment. "James, get in here." Her normally kind tone was just as hard and unforgiving as her gaze, her foot tapping impatiently.

James' eyebrows raised the tiniest degree wondering what could make Lily this mad. Sirius wasn't here to pull a prank on her, Michael was the perfect son and he had hadn't done anything to piss her off recently he could recall. Certainly she couldn't hold what they did at Dumbledores suggestion against him, she was part of the action as well after all. Maybe she was pregnant again? She had been getting sick a couple times in the last few weeks in the morning and they had slipped up in forgetting the contraceptive potion amd charm a week after first learning Alexandria was still alive & had used sex as a way to distract themselves. "What is it Lily-flower?" he asked moving toward the table only to stop when she slid two objects and a Gringotts summary down in front of his chair.

The first object was something they were familiar with- a bronze knut though the minting was ancient and dated 1219 with a goblin head firm etched into the bronze on one side and a pair of crossed wands on the other. The second object was a noted he skipped over for a moment and picked up the Gringotts summary. His eyes nearly bugged out at the contents of it and looked up Lily for confimation only to meet her scowl making him look back down. Why was she scowling if the Gryffindor vault was not just worth all this this but had all these artifacts & everything else? Looking back to the note his expression formed into an equally dark scowl as he read the note; it was rather short and the calligraphy that made the cursive more a work of art was damning:

 _Here lies the remains of your precious fortune. It seems to have moved to a different vault. Such a shame. Have I made my point clear enough yet? Oh, I would brush up on your laws too. Among the manifest summary is the First Blood artifact for the bloodline of Gryffindor. But wait, all thats here is a single knut you say? Too bad for you._

 _Ta ta,_

 _Lady Amelia Nightshade-Evans_

 _Her Graces Handler of current generation Royal Irish Knights successors and former Lady Gryffindor_

"She played us James. She knew what she was doing by telling Michael there was a 'possibility' there was a Gringotts vault and we fell for the bait." Lily did nothing to hide the bitterness in her voice as she folded her hands in front of her face. "We need to make our next move very, very, very carefully. She played us like a second hand fiddle and did it without letting on to anything. Her intelligence is not to be underestimated again."

James said nothing and crumbled the note before throwing it into the fireplace watching it burn to ash in moments.

* * *

By the time it was time for the champions to have gathered at the Black Lake Amelia was the last to arive and boy was she a sight to turn heads. Unlike her fellow champions who were dressed to take a plunge into the murky water she looked like she stepped fresh out of a Steampunk BDSM catalogue. Dressed in thigh high learther boots, a leather miniskirt, a black leather corset with jade green stitch and lacing & a waist coast that was held closed by four gold toned buttons that unlike a mans went around her chest and cinched close at her throat leaving her chest exposed. To complete her look around her neck was a silk choker that had a ruby snarling dragons head glaring out with empty obsidian pockets where the eyes would be and a fedora with a hat ring keeping a red & green feather in place. "Hello boys, I take it I'm not late?" she asked with a purpooseful coy smirk and a fluttering of the knee length tails on her waist coast barely gave a fraction of a seconds glance to the hints of midnight black silk panties.

Cedric was dumbstruck that the irish competitor would choose such an outfit and nearly missed the starting pistol-esque spell shot starting the challenge. Viktor looked equal parts impressed and not before managing a half self transfiguration into a shark as he dove into the lake while Cedric was casting the bubble head charm.

"Ms Nightshade the task has-"

"I am aware and it seems I overdressed for the occasion. Whatever shall I do?" Amelia gave a theatrical sigh as she made motions with her hands. "On one hand I could strip off the unneccesary bits but I don't feel like giving a show. On the other I could wait out the hour and whatever failsafes you British morons put in place to activate bringing the target of the task to the surface" she said as her hands raised and lowered like a scale. "However since someone tried to kill me and very nearly succeeded and killing my friend I don't trust your failsafes so I think I'll go with option three."

Minerva, who was standing by with the school heads and Ludo Bagman, looked confused as Amelia cracked her knuckles & fingers indvidually. "What in the blazes is she doing? Does she really think this is a game?" she asked.

Joyce laughed to herself and shook her head. "No she doesn't and unlike the dragons she intends to end this part of the abomination quickly. The dragons suffered her wrath, this will be over before you realize it. Shes even going to use something special so pay attention. She hasn't used this type of magic since the last major event in her life."

"Well then, seems I'm the last to start. Seems I'm disadvantaged here. Not." Amelia snorted as she stretched hed hands out in front of her and let her eyes close, her fingers curling into familiar positions from the many hours and nights spent with her mother. To those not born into the muggle side of the world, or had not ventured into it at the very least, it seemed like her fingers were moving chaotically in random non-sense movements but many muggleborns and half-bloods eyes widened realizing what she was doing moments before the sound reached the people in tbe stadium. Like an unseen heart beginning to beat the ghostly melody of a piano began to fill every ear at once. The blood diamond shone with a dark light signifying a good amount of magic was being chanelled through her current action.

"Sound based magic? What good does that do her?" Minerva asked looking both impressed and skeptical at the same time. Sound based magic was nearly as hard as wandless magic requiring not only as strict mastery of Occlumency and imagination but a background familiarity in the sound you are trying to replicate. The most successful Sound Mages were often revered as masters of the illusionary spell branches because their ability to replicate sounds so accurately and sharply made fooling the other senses childs play.

"Keep watching kitty cat and you'll understand."

 _'Come on you retarded living sushi roll, I know you're listening to me. Bring her back to me before I sever all your tentacles and shove them down your intestinal track killing you'_ Amelia cursed internally as sweat beaded on her brow. Not too soon after a large tentacle broke the surface of the lake cradling an unconscious Luna like the precious cargo she was. Supplying enough magic to make the last few notes linger she snatched the blonde witch to safety before just for good measure she severed the visible tentacle portion in half with a slashing motion of her hand releasing a vicious cutting curse. "Thats for resisting my command you stupid octopus!" she snarled angerily as blood flew from the bleeding extremity before slithering back into the lake, eyes opening to show her annoyance with the creaturen

"Morganas girdle.." Minerva said finding herself in awe. "Just what is that girl? I'm hard pressed to believe she is just an exceptionally well trained witch."

"That girl is the closest thing you will come to in this mortal lifetime to seeing a powerfully diverse witch like Morgan Le Fey herself begin a second rise. Not only does she push herself beyond limits most of us would not dare to test, not only does she put her family magics to their very edges of her capabilities to learn more of them, not only does she go to damn near suicidal lengths to control her arts as a War Witch" Joyce paused as a brief peck on the lips from Amelia was all it took to wake Luna after being dried with a charm "she is as close to a Beast Master as you will find this side of the Northern of northern hemisphere that was not born with the gift naturally. Beside her best friend and partner War Witch Sara, you are looking at one half of a once in a life time pair of prodigiously talented witches in every sense of the phrase. We may bend magic to do as we please it but with her and Sara, its more like they are magic itself & whatever they wish to happen **will** happen"

"Good to have you back among the wakeful conscious sleeping beauty" Amelia said cradling Luna in her arms. Soft laughter escaped her throat as instead of answering right away the blonde took her outfit in and a gleam entered her silvery blue eyes.

"Ah, forgive me for that my beautiful mistress. I was a naughty naughty girl to have gotten myself in a spot of trouble and needed to have forced you to save me. I'll accept _**ANY**_ punishment you feel is appropriate for what I have done" Luna said putting on the best 'meek' but sultry look she could with a rather knowing smile tugging at her lips.

 _'Mistress Amelia... Huh, it **does** have a nice ring to it' _Amelia said with a thoughtful look crossing her face.

-meanwhile in the DMLE headquarters at the same time-

Amelia Bones shuddered and moaned quietly in relief as her hand came to a stop underneath her desk. "Morgana above, you are getting better at that" she said as her breaths came out in panting huffs. Her grip grabbed the mildly long for a guys hair and lifted a head from underneath her skirt.

"Thank you Mistress Amelia. I live to serve and plea-"

Amelia smacked the man with her free hand. "I did not give you permission to speak. Do I have to remind you of your place?" she asked with a dark look. The silence annoyed her so she smacked him again only this time so both cheeks were flaming red. "I asked you a fucking question _pet_. Do I have to remind you of your place or not?" she asked with a sneer.

"N-no mistress Amelia. A good pet knows his place is under his mistresses skirt giving her all the pleasure she deserves and more" the man said with only a momentary stutter.

"Then get back to it."

-back with Amelia and those at Hogwarts-

"We'll discuss your punishment for being such a naughty girl later. Now off with you to the healers tent. Headmistress Joyce has the head matron there to check you over and I will not hear one word of back talk or your punishment will be made worse" Amelia said setting Luna on her feet.

Luna giggoed internally as she forced herself to whine out that she felt fine. If she actually _did_ end up being punished for this she wouldn't mind. Sure she didn't expect to end up being taken hostage to be used against Amelia but she **did** feel fine. Plus, even if she didn't say it out loud it was kind of kinky and erotic to think about her beautiful sexy older cousin as her mistress and herself a perfectly willing slave to her every desire be it sexual & seductive or otherwise. "But I swear I feel fine. A little bit of water in my ears but otherewise a hundred percent" she said with a childish pout.

"Do you want to make your punishment worse on purpose or have you forgotten you place Luna?" Amelia asked with a hybrid annoyed-disappointed tone though her eyes were showing amusement only the blonde would see.

"Neither mistress. I am merely stating a fact my mistress" Luna said simply.

"Then we'll see about how to make your punishment for talking back when I gave you an order more fitting" Amelia said grabbing Lunas arm briskly and dragged her into the tent amidst the open unhidden stares and both boys & surprisingly more girls with nose bleeds accompanied with lecherous smirks. "You had too much fun with that out there."

Luna giggled at the accusatory sentence once they were safely away hidden away in the tent. "Just a little" she replied with her eyes lit up in laughter. "But on a serious note, thanks. The last thing I remember was laying down with you in bed as we snuggled, us talking and just waking now."

Amelias eyes narrowed at that. "They picked you out specifically to use as my hostage and drugged your food last night." It was not a question and by the time the matron finished a health check she saw red as it was confirmed. Storming out of the tent she stomped over to the judges table as the ground trembled and cracked under her furious gaze. One motion of her hand ripped the table free of its magically stuck position and another threw Minerva, Ludo Bagman and Karkaroff against the wall in a crucifixtion like pose unable to move.

"Let me go or-"

"Who is the genius that decided to drug and take my cousin hostage & endanger her life for this blood sport!" Amelia demanded as her hands trembled with uncontrolled rage and her eyes glowed ominously black like her emotions. "I will give you three ten seconds to comply before I start to indiscriminately break bones to get the truth. Kidnapping of Nobility is second treason and give that all three separate entities competing are ICW consignatory representatives I am forced to take action since as House Evans has always been Her Majesties Handler for the Royal Irish Knights. Who ordered tbe drugging and kidnapping of my cousin Luna Farseeker, Heiress to the Farkseeker Knightship, known to you swine as Luna Lovegood to be used against me? Lie to me and give me a reason to hurt you, my schools matron has already confirmed the last presence of the drug in her system."

Joyce stood off to the side nary a care in the world. "I told you taking her would cause you a world of hurt but did you believe me? Nnnooo..." she drawled as Minerva and Ludo Bagman gulped audibly.


	13. Interrupted Date part 1

Amelias eyes narrowed in annoyance as she violently chucked a book to the floor. Not a week after the second task and her frustrations were rearing their ugly heads all over again. 'Another test of facing the absolute unknown but with the twist of it being absolute this times, no hints' was all the champions had been told once Victor and Cedric had resurfaced with their hostages. Oh she was questioned about what the hell she did, how she did it so fast and even how long she had been waiting with Luna who had been sitting off to the side watching her interrogate the three stooges who put the blonde witch in danger. She hadn't answered the questions naturally and stormed off when wasp colored wearing ministry moron said it was set up by Dumbledore prior to her executing the man.

Luna peeked her head in hearing the violent breaking of a book binding and saw Amelias frustrated form glaring at the book like she was trying to set it on fire with her gaze alone. "Sickle for your thoughts?" she asked cautiously. Ever since the Second Task she'd found herself even more endeared to her beautiful cousin. Such infatuation led to her being quite the bit more affectionate with the older witch when it was safe to. Finding her curled up with Amelia reading a book or finding the two of them cuddled up like a pair of lovers at night in front of fireplace, well she was curled up to Amelia like a lover would while the white haired witch would often have nose buried in a scroll or esoteric text of some sort and hunched over since some of the texts she read were faded to varying degrees, was commonplace. Occasionally her jealousy did spike seeing Janette make subtle moves on Amelia but said nothing remembering the other girls explanation, she was in a corner of her own doing and there was nothing to be done.

Mismatched eyes snapped up ready to tear into the person who dared to enter uninvited. They would regret this decision so very mu.. Her face went blank seeing Luna cautiously perched in the doorway ready to make a quick exit and that made her sigh internally. Perhaps she was going a little stir crazy. She hadn't really left her room for any reason besides eating and bathing since she was 'told' of the third and final task. "Frustration. Unmitigated and soul flaming frustration. What kind of clue is telling the final task is a test of facing the fucking unknown? For a second time. Could mean another fucking creature or all the way up to seducing a veela for all we know" Amelia said tossing herself onto the bed covering her eyes.

"You need to leave this room before you lose a couple more sickles than you already have. Tomorrow is a Hogsmeade trip and you're coming with me" Luna said stepping fully into the room and closed the door behind her after flashing a series of finger motions to Sara that she would sort out Amelia. Crossing to the bed she grabbed all the parchments with crossed out ideas and question marks before putting them on the desk on the opposite side of the room. "Don't even think about saying no like that look on your face is saying." She didn't need to be looking at the other witch to know that was precisely the expression she was wearing. "You need to recharge your batteries so to speak. Hogsmeade just opened this new little bistro restauraunt. We can grab lunch and then I can show you around the village. Its not the biggest village but theres a quaint charm to it."

"Luna.. I need to focus on the tourna-"

"The tournament can hold for one afternoon." Lunas tone was firm and authoritarian like the one Amelia used with her when she talked back about being checked over after the second task. "You're beating a dead horse disecting the past hosted tournaments. England has only hosted the tournament once before now and that hosting was nearly three hundred years ago. Even with the stagnant culture things have changed enough that trying to determine the next task from previous hostings is next to useless" she said turning with her hands on her hips. "I'll even pay for lunch and any shopping we might do. Daddy gave me the key to the Farseeker vault key and tied it to me with family blood magic. Making a withdrawl is as simple as pressing the key to the bill."

Amelia opened her mouth to argue but couldn't come up with a good reason to say no. Luna was right, she was beating a dead horse and all she had to show for it was an endless stream of hypothetical possible tasks & a migraine the size of Hogwarts castle. "Do I have a choice in this?" she asked with a half hearted scowl dropping the hand covering her emerald eye.

"Not a shred of one on your life. I am taking you out tomorrow afternoon. You will not worry about the tournament for the duration of our date. You will enjoy your time with me. If you're a good girl and listen I might even reward you with a long deep smooch for all to see" Luna said with a look that said she would be listened to or else.

Amelia thought the look was cute on Luna and nearly laughed as said blonde plopped down on the bed straddling her waist. "How did this go from lunch and maybe some shopping to a date?" she asked once the words reached her mind.

"Unless you would prefer to go on a date with someone else, that I was proposing a date was implicitly implied" Luna said with a pout and a tiny amount of hurt edging her words.

Amelia cursed silently as she sat up as much as she could, one arm behind her to support her, and leaned forward pecking Lunas cheek softly. "I never said I was opposed. You're right, I'm running myself ragged and I'm not gaining any new insight trying to beat answers out of history. I just assumed lunch & shopping meant lunch & shopping" she said grasping Lunas hand in her own. Damn her lack of dating experience and younger conscious choice not to date, her brief relationship with Janette aside, til she felt her abilities were at a controlled enough level. "I have next to no dating experience so saying something like that to me and implying it is kinda like-"

"Trying to explain to a person who has been color blind all their life what colors look like" Luna said as her words lost the tiny edge of hurt. So even her beautiful, strong-magically and otherwise- & intelligent cousin had areas of knowledge where she could use a helping hand. "I can't see people NOT finding you attractive and not trying to date you. Either they'd have to be gay in case of guys or extremely homophobic to the point of hating themselves & trying to make themselves straight if they're girls."

Amelia said nothing thinking back to the comment Sara had made about the amount of confessions she got on a monthly basis. She had never given them much thought before and usually opened a crevice in the ground to dispose of the notes and sweets, after being burned out of caution for potentially being potioned, before going about her merry way to train. "Uh.. About that.." she said after a moment and looked to the side. "I uh.. maybe might have a couple of people who might be crushing on me. Like crushing really bad."

Lunas eyes narrowed at that and freed her hand from Amelias grip before crossing her arms under her chest. "How many is a couple?" she asked pointedly. If she had to duel an infatuated girl or guy to cement her position as the receiver of her cousins affections she would.

"I honestly don't know. It was a few people at first, maybe five or so but that was a couple of years back. Now? I'm tossing garbage bags full of confession notes, letters and burned to black hockey puck sweets that may or may not be potioned into a crevice in the ground I'll open up for a second and just as quickly close up before moving on with my day back home regularly while I'm at school during the year" Amelia said with an almost, not quite but almost, sheepish embarrassed look. "I kinda made the decision not to date when I started school so I could focus on learning to the best of my abilities. Along the way I kinda helped a few people, I think I did anyway, and I guess that developed into crushes for them over time. I can only guess my not responding to any attempts to sway my feelings to a person created a bit of a reputation that escalated into the current iteration. Last I checked I had a whole fan club of younger witches at school who worship me as some sort of goddess if school gossip is right." The white haired witch shuddered at that thought. If they wanted fo stalk her that was fine, stalking was harmless, but if she had her own cult following worshipping her every action she might actually be forced to step in to nip the bud forcefully.

Lunas less than pleased expression became even more so at the admission sounding in her ears. Amelia had her own fan club? Not just that but she was throwing garbage bags full of confession notes, letters and possibly potioned sweets away on a regular basis? This would not do at all! If anyone was going to have the heart of the white haired witch it was her! "Bed. Now"she said climbing off her cousin and snapped her fingers swapping her clothes out for a nightie with a minimal expenditure of magic.

"We're already on it dingus" Amelia said rolling her eyes playfully.

"I meant climb in under the covers and get comfy so I can cuddle up. Its getting late and the last carriage leaves for the village at ten in the morning. Its not far to walk to the village but I prefer that the time be spent sat on your lap watching the scenery pass by" Luna said with a yawn and look that said do as I say.

Amelia rolled her eyes and tossed her sweatshirt to the floor before considering her remaining clothes, a half tank top that showed off her tight stomach and knee length shorts, before shrugging mentally & climbed in under the covers after being freed from Lunas weight."Bossy little thing" she said under her breath finding a comfortable position before motioning with her head for the blonde witch to join her. Feeling Luna pounce under the covers and nestle as close to flush as possible actually made her laugh softly as she wrapped her arms around the smaller witch. "If I didn't know better I'd compare you to an excitable school kid on their first day or a girl with a crush" she teased.

"Or you're really warm, your presence is calming and whether you see it or not you make for a pretty sexy body pillow"Luna said with a small teasing grin towards the end. "Besides, you're one to talk about being bossy. Do I have to tell you how borderline BRSM mistress you went on me in front of the crowd?"she asked.

"I believe you mean BDSM and you started it by calling me mistress out loud."

"No, if I meant BDSM I would have said BDSM. BRSM is very much similar but only one minor difference" Luna said matter of factly resting her head on Amelias chest.

"Are you going leave me hanging in suspense or what?" Amelia asked through a yawn.

"BRSM- Bodacious Redot Sexy Mistress. Its not just like BDSM where its a sexual kink. Its more involved than that on every level. Its not just about trust or satiafying a desire but its a look, a state of mind, a..."

"A way of being. You can separate the sexual element from the rest if need be but its about the cofindence to command and control without putting the other more submissive party in a position where they feel unsafe with you" Amelia said picking up the vibe from how Luna was trying to explain it.

"Exactly. I didn't even intend to call you mistress but you know how sometimes you kinda do things without thinking? Yeah, that was one of them" Luna said with a slight blush and was grateful her face was hidden. She wasn't embarrassed about her thoughts, she was just as convinced now that should Amelia ever ask command her to do something she would more than willing do it no matter what bar anything soul staining dark, but saying it out like a schoolgirl admitting a dirty secret was embarrassing.

"Well then.. Again I'm touched by how much you trust me to always do right by you Luna. Truly" Amelia said laying a kiss on top of Lunas head. The shiver made her chuckle as she rubbed her hands over the blondes arms feeling the goose pimples erupt in the wake of her touch. "You know what would make me even happier and even more touched?" A coy grin pulled her lips to a cheshire like grin.

Luna blinked and looked up so their eyes met. The whisper that followed made her face go atomic red and faint

* * *

Amelia sighed a little in irritation as she found herself waiting on Luna outside by the carriages. It was already half past nine and there were only three carriages left to take students to the village. "I swear if she makes us miss the carriage she said she wanted to ride I will..."

"You'll do what to whom?"

Amelias eyes narrowed as she turned on her heel and looked upon the two elder Potters with Michael nearby climbing into one of the carriages with a group of kids she could only assume were his friends. "None of your business on both counts" she bit off a harsh tone. Morgana above, how thick were these people? She didn't want anything to do with them; how many ways did she have to spell it out for them? "Did you perhaps speak to Michael? I didn't happen to have the inclination to actually go to Gringotts to check for myself if the Gryffindor family had a vault. I'd be most shocked if it didn't" she said with an 'innocent' tone.

James' eyes narrowed a microscopic fraction, small enough for Lily or Michael to tell, but didn't show much else. "I personally did not but your moth-"

"The only mother I have ever known is dead Mr. Potter and I would ask you to respectfully not imply someone else did her job. If your wife found a vault then by all means enjoy it, I don't need a _tiny_ fortune." The look in Amelias eyes could cut slabs of marble as her hands clenched at her sides.

Lily looked to James and told him to rein it in with an indecipherable look. "My apologies for my husband. He is rathe steeped in his families old traditions. Aren't you dear" she said forcefully earning a rather grunted response. "We've really gotten off on the wrong foot and we'd like too.."

"Not interested. You two are mind corrupted idiotic supporters of that idiot Dumbledore. Your son on the other hand, hes different. As long as he actually listens I'm open to dialogue with him. Now if you excuse me my date is finally here." Amelia brushed past the pair and grabbed Lunas upper arm in her hand before dragging the blonde over to an empty carriage "Do you know how insufferable those two are? Sewing their mouths shut or a permanent sticking charm on their lips is looking more and more appealing by the day." The breeze blew her zip-up sweatshirt open revealing her simple blouse and slacks with boots to top of the outfit.

Luna looked confused for a moment spotted the Potter pair observing them with grimaces and whispering between themselves. "I take they still are trying to find any open door to lead to conversation with you to try and find some foothold?" she asked opening the carriage door and entering after Amelia who locked it with what she suspected was a House Evans locking spe that would not give under the standard unlocking charm. Silvery blue eyes rolled in their sockets as Amelia gave a grunt in response to the obvious question and threw herself on the plush cushioned seats. "Of course they are. Silly me for asking."

Amelia was tempted to make a comment but didn't as Luna found a comfortable position on her lap and turned so they were facing each other. "Comfy there?" she asked poking the blonde on the chest through her somewhat frilly blouse.

"Not yet." Luna leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on Amelias lips as her arms came to rest around her cousins neck. "Mm, now I am" shd said in a quiet voice after breaking the kiss. A small smile tugged at the edges of her lips feeling the white haired witches muscles relax and the girl herself surrender into her embrace. If it took her being forceful to make Amelia relax every now and then she could live that. As beautiful and strong as was at all times there seemed to be something ten times more beautiful about her like she was right now, peacefully surrendering to her gentle prodding and letting her hair down metaphorically out of the tight bun its put up in.

On the short ride to the 'quaint little village', Lunas words echoed faintly in her mind, she was lost in the light loving trails that the blondes hands took through her hair. Very briefly she was reminded of her mother doing this for her as a child and it made her heart ache for a moment before equally it brought the most microscopic hint of light to her eyes. Her mother may be dead and buiried, Morgana bless her and protect her, but as weird as it sounded in her own mind she could see things of her mother in Luna; her calm temperment, a smile that could disarm the most volatile situation with ease and intelligence beyond her years just to name a few. Even if Luna was wrong about them potentially being meant to be together she would always cherish the blonde dearly, not just as family but as a reminder that even though her mother was gone she still lived on in the smallest of ways in the people closest to her. Half-lidded eyes looked up to meet satisfied and equally amused silvery blue. "You know, you remind me of her sometimes" she said nuzzling her nose into Lunas cheek.

Luna raised an eyebrow internally at that comment. "Remind you of whom precisely?" she asked as her fingers twirled strands of Amelias hair together.

"Mum, may she rest in peace."

Luna stopped for a moment trying to connect the dots before her eyes gained an understanding light as her fjngers went back to running through Amelias hair. Her cousin never really spoke about her family back in Ireland and she had always thought it odd over the past few months considering everything. Then again she conceded to herself that maybe Amelia was private about her family she grew up with, her mother in particular. "Do I? I'm guessing thats a compliment. Either thaf or you're trying a weird form of fliriting with me" she said resting cheek atop the white haired witches head.

"Its the highest compliment I will ever pay anyone. Mum wouldn't win any prizes as a witch for having the most jaw dropping anount of magic but as a human being and a humanitarian, she'd win them all hands down no questions asked"Amelia said as her arms moved resting on Lunas legs to wrap around her waist. "So smart, so full of love and compassion that I thought as kid she'd burst at the seams." She chuckled softly burying her face into Lunas neck breathing her in, the odd but light combination of sandalwood incense and chocolate pudding making her relax even more into the blonde.

Luna smiled faintly finding this open to talk and cuddly side of Amelia absolutely precious. "She sounds like she was a beautiful soul. Its a shame I'll never get to meet her in person" she said letting her hands fall to her cousins shoulders.

"She was a beautiful soul." A touch of longing filled Amelias voice for a moment before it was gone but she no doubt Luna heard. Every child, within reason of circumstance, loved their parents and most favored their mother at one point or another; since her mother Katherine had been all she had she not only idolized her mother and tried to emulate her being in every way she put her on a pedestal.

* * *

The date went pretty well considering the amount of eyes on them as they walked the village with Luna happily pressed into her side and an arm around Amelias waist. The amount of people, people of the village she assumed, who raised eyebrows at them made the white haired witch scowl. "You'd think they've never seen a pair of girls on a date before her" she said with a look that could scare children.

"They probably haven't. Hogsmeade is rather contained and just as time stuck as Hogwarts" Luna said nonchalantly shrugging her shoulders. Out of nowhere screams erupted from the village. People in robes and silver masks were barking orders to round up the Purebloods and mudbloods for the Dark Lords arrival. Apprehension filled her body as she pressed into Amelias side tighter and a minor tremble raced down her spine.

Amelia grinned darkly as her eyes crackled with energy. "Death Eaters, Death Eaters come out and play~" she said with a sing-song tone.


	14. Interrupted Date pt 2: Hogsmeade carnage

By the time Minerva had gotten word from a panicked student who had escaped from Hogsmeade and arrived there with the teaching staff ready to fight the aged witch was both shocked and disturbed at the sight that greeted her. Unlike the reports of Death Eaters trying to round up students she found decently large pile broken bodies stacked up in the center of the village. "By Merlins blue beard..." she said not truly sure what there was to say. The snapping of what sounded like wood and a high pitched male scream to the right near where Honey Dukes sweet shop was snapped her attention that way.

"I told you to quit fuckin screamin ya pansy ass!"

The broken body of a bloody Lucius Malfoy slammed into the building before them with enough force that it shook. The man was cut up and beaten to hell. His eyes were swollen shut from a vicious assault, visual inspection of the mans other wounds made it obvious both his arms were broken with their wickedly un-natural position and most of his ribs were fractured & sptntered pieces if not broken as well from the caved in look of portions of his chest.

"Took ya sweet candy ass time didn't ya? I'm starting to think you really don't care about the safety of your students." Amelia stepped out between two houses as her blood stained clothes met the light. Aside from some exhaustion, cuts and bloodied portions of her clothes she didn't look too worse for wear. "I wouldn't bother with the dead bodies in the center of the village. I went overboard with them and they wont't give ya shit. Mr. Malfoy here" she casually strolled over under the trained watch of nearly a dozen wands aimed on her without so much as a blink or care and punted him right in the nuts dropping him to the ground as his already pain high pitched voice turnes into a squeak "and the ring leaders should be able to tell you exactly who ordered this little attack on undefended students. Just so you know you inbred little fucker" a dark smile crossed her lips as she knelt down and grabbed the desperately injured man by his hair so he was looking her in the eyes "you ruined my date and my blouse. I'd kill you but I have a sexy little thing to check on."

Minerva and Snape shared a look that nearly undecipherable. Alexandria Potter, they would use her birth name only in the confines of privacy far away from her and their minds, had done all this damage to essentially a companies worth of Death Eaters in terms of numbers? By herself? Where were the other students? "Ms. P- apologies, Ms. Nightshade where are the other students?" the headmistress asked catching herself before she made the mistake of calling her Ms. Potter.

"Three Broomsticks. The owner heard the danger and activated some rune that was worked into the foundation of every house & business in this place. Something like a muggle bomb shelter equivalent near as I can put it. I left to work out my irritation. As you can see" Amelia made the motion towards the pile of dead bodies, Lucius' quivering form and another bunch of equally broken & crucified to the wall with railroad spikes Death Eaters in the alley she exited out of "I got it out. Well most of it, I'm reserving my irritation for _you_ when the Third Task comes about." She glared at Minerva as the greasy haired professor went to observe the conditions of the Death Eaters she tortured and crucified.

While Minerva and the Potter girl squabbled Severus felt the bile rise in his throat. The girl was a monster! He wasn't a healer by any means but the bare basic disagnostics spoke of a grim discovery. The men were neutered while conscious, bones broken and healed before being re-broken, ribs shattered to dust, non-essential organs being ground to paste with magical **_and_** physical force. The women, most notably Bellatrix LeStrange and surprisingly Narcissa Malfoy, met an even grimmer fate with their torture. Not only did they suffer the same physical injuries but whatever magical thing she had did outright **DESTROYED** their wombs and ovaries. "By Morganas pitch black soul, the Houses and Malfoy now teeter on the edges of going extinct. If Draco doesn't wise up there will be no more Malfoys and that mutt hetter have kids as the last full blood Black or the fate of the House of Black is very much the color of its namesake" the man said to himself. Narcissas injuries were decidedly more grave than Bellatrixs and she would not survive, this he knew for sure. "Minerva, over here! Quickly!"

"We are not done talking about this young lady!" Minerva said sharply. The heated talk Severus interrupted had been a brief recap of the last ten minutes and did she wish for a drink. Ten minutes to round her staff and get there to village, anti-apparition wards on the school grounds proper be damned, & Alexandria commits a borderline genocide with the barest of wounds or exhaustion to show for it! While she was no Albus who preached never ending chances for redemption, she did believe in due process for offending criminals and proper punishment. There was no due process and punishment when you **kill** criminal! "Mercy above..." She felt sick seeing the multilation and injuries sustained by the still alive Death Eaters. When her eyes hit the massive staining of blood on the ground and pants of the women she want deathly pale. Alexandria hadn't done what she thought she did...did she? That was cruel and unusual even for a deserving criminal like the ones crucified to the wall. "Is that..."

"Narcissa Malfoy, Bellatrix LeStrange nee Black, Alice Crowley nee Black just to name the important ones" Severus said with a stony expression and tone. "I'm not a healer but what Ms. Nightshade has done to these people... I wouldn't wish it on the Dark Lord himself." The graveness of his eyes shone with truth as he looked back to the white haired witch who was fretting over the Lovegood girl becore she pulled the smaller witch securely into her embrace as the other Hogwarts staff retrieved the students from the Three Broomsticks. "The men were neutered while conscious, bones were broken and crudely healed before being broken again & again, non-vital organs are little more tham paste via means of physcial & magical means and the majority of their rib cage is little more than bone dust that its a miracle they're alive. The women are much the same but she did something even I think you find unforgivable and already suspsect."

"The complete destruction of their reproductive systems and uterus" Minerva said as a shade of green colored her cheeks momentarily.

Severus nodded grimly. "Indeed. I fear Narcissa will die soon though. It seems whatever torture Ms. Nightshade put them all through has a much more... Lets call it severe adverse reaction. The bleeding has not stemmed like the others have, the pure destruction from her reproductive system is leaking blood like a sivv. She'll bleed out in minutes like this and what frightens me Minerva, and I will deny ever saying this if you breathe so much as a _syllable_ to another soul about what I'm about to say, is that the only magic she used to torture them was to decimate the womens reproductive futures & magic used in the grinding non-vital organs to pastes. All these other injuries, all of these aere done by hand and weapon" he said with a deadly grave tone of voice that said he deadly serious.

"I'd step back about twenty feet from the blonde bitch I crucified right about now."

Minerva and Severus looked over to Alexandria who was still possessively embracing the Lovegood girl who was now snuggled up into the white haires witches arms. "Why is tha-" A loud crackling boom filled the alley before she and Severus were drenched in blood & gore as Narcissa Malfoys body slumped down, as much as the railriad spikes allowed, unquestionably dead from her now grotesquely blown chest cavity.

"Forgot for a minute I shoved my own version of a muggle M-80 firecracker in her chest cavity after she called the daughter of a french whore" Amelia said with a venomous glare and sneer that dared the Hogwarts headmistress to challenge her on her actions. "No one gets away with saying that about my mother who was a fucking saint among sinners. Lets go back Luna, I need to clean up."

"Can I join you in the shower to help?"

"Only if you keep your hands from wandering."

"Bu-but thats the best part."

Filius watched Luna and Alexandria walk off with a rather unreadable expression. The levels of violence, torture and death would please most of goblin blood but the quarter goblin was at a quandry. He almost felt an obligation to go after her and congratulate her on the spread of blood that she seemed to single-handedly do on her own in such little time while the human parts of him were not just repulsed & sick but worried. No matter her own thoughts Alexandria, Amelia or whatever she wanted to call herself was the future of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter by British law; a neutral House on the Wizengamot that while known for its history of having members serve as Aurors, their stance was largely anti-violence and war. The witches first response to most things it seemed was violence and bloodshed if it annoyed her enough; this would leave her at odds with ninety nine percent of the Wizengamot and make her a pariah, not that he thought she'd care.

Sybil Trelawney took a silent spot beside the tiny professor and grimaced. "Believe me when I say that by the time this year ends Filius we will see a whole new front to this war with the remains of Voldemorts forces" she said with a dark tone.

The quarter goblin looked up suspiciously at the usually spacey Divination professor and was surprised her quiet vigil was not just fully alert but just as focused if not more so than his own as the two witches lead off a group of younger third year girls back to the castle. "What kind of front are we talking about Sybil?" Filius asked turning his gaze back to the center of town as the tell tale popping sounds of apparition arrivals heralded a company of Aurors. _'Too little too late jackasses. A single fifteen year old girl did your job for you'_ he thought as the bodies of the deceased where portkeyed to the morgue for study and last memories to be taken for evidence. More Aurors, obviously women by the cut of their robes, apparated the surviving female Death Eaters for treatment to keep them alive for interrogatiob after their colleagues collected the spikes used to crucify them as evidence.

For several minutes Sybil was silent observing the work of the Aurors and the other Hogwarts staff leading the remaining students back to the castle. "One led by an Empress draped in shadows riding on the wings of destruction and death. It would be best you choose your loyalties now Filius. What I havr seen... She will have no mercy for those who stand in her way or against her."

* * *

Later that night Chief Auror Sirius Black found a penseive placed on his desk and a beaker containing the large volume of memories of whoever it was. "What the hell is this and why are you giving it to me?" he asked with a dark look aimed at the gopher who was fidgeting nervously under his gaze. "My shift ended five minutes ago!"

"DI-Director Black said that you needed to view this ri-right away. Sh-she said that as Chief Auror it was of the highest order and tol-told me you would be FIRED if you didn't." The girl ran, message delivered, to keep out her bosses hissy fit path. As good company as Lord Sirius Orion Black was, when he got in a right mood he was a petulant whiny child at best and downright insufferable at worst.

Sirius glared darkly at the penseive and beaker of memory strands. Just what could Amelia think was Merlin damned important enough to threaten to fire him for if he didn't look at it? As much as he loved his wife dearly and she was damn effective as the head of the DMLE what she thought was important & what he thought was important as the Chief Auror were two different animals. Still he would look anyways knowing he would be in for a million questions when he saw her next. Dumping the beaker into the penseive and giving it a swirl he ducked his head in.

When he came back up it took everything for Sirius not puke at what he had seen. So much violence, so much torture, so much death and the part that scared him the most was that the responsible was one girl. One! The way she moved was too much a dance she had practiced for ages as bullets and spells dropped corpses left & right at her feet. When she got bored of that and seemingly the Death Eaters who were in charge of the assault were the only ones left she took a much more hands on approach transfiguring weapons for an up close encounters. Rending flesh, snapping bones, crucifying people before truly digging into unhunane torture methods, grinding organs to paste, reducing bones and ribcages to bone dust while the victim was still conscious and alive not to mention the unforgivable thing she did to the women; this girl committed a mile long list of attrocities worse than some of the worst Death Eaters in such a short anount of time and she didn't seem to care!

"I see that you watched the memories."

Sirius jumped like a frightened dog and turned quick as a whip with his wand drawn pointed at the person. Only that person was his wife and the head of the DMLE Amelia Bones-Black. "That girl isn't human" he said lowering his wand slowly, his skin a sickly shade of pale.

Amelia produced a vial containing a single memory strand. "This will give you the answer the you desire love" she said simply holding it out.

For a moment Sirius hesitated before reaching for the vial. His stomach was already ready to toss, did he want to watch one more to know who this monster was? No he didn't but as the Chief Auror of Magical Britain he was duty bound. With a tremor in his hand he tookthe vial as a flick of Amelias wand spilled the mass of memories back in the beaker. "Its bad isn't it?" he asked rhetorically as he spilled the vial into the penseive and turned the center with his wand.

Amelia said nothing and motioned Sirius to stick his head in.

 _-WITHIN THE MEMORY-_

When the world stopped turning Sirius recognized the buildings of Hogsmeade village right away. Some things had bee a little changed, new shops and a community garden that hadn't been there in his school years, but for the majority it was all the same. What hit him immediately after was the sight from the fragmented massds of memories. Not too far from him was the mound of corpses in the center of the village, bullet casing littering the ground. A scream reached his ears causing him to look sharply to his left recognizing that voice anywhere, ,Narcissa Malfoy nee Black was screaming in agony. He ran in the direction and stopped cold seeing her crucified with a rather deep cut in chest exposed to the air.

"You stupid child of a french whore! The Dark Lord will end your entirely family!"

The sickly dememnted smile that crawled up the white haired witches face and the demonic chuckle that escaped her lips made his blood freeze. A look that evil and a laugh that sinister did not belong to a human! That much he was certain. This girl, this girl was a demon in human flesh.

"Child of a french whore? Let me tell you something Mrs. Malfoy. Do you want to know something about your precious husband and his stock?" Mismatched emerald and ocean storm blue eyes glinted with madness. "Despite his families claims to ancient nobilitiy ties here in Britain, the Malfoy are French immigrants. Not just immigrants but do you know the Malfoy claim to fame prior to coming to Britain?"

Sirius watched the girl lean forward. His stomach tightened into knots.

"Sheep farming and sheep fucking in the hills of France." The girl pulled a big tube about as long as her wrist to tip of middle finger and as thick as her three middle fingers on her hand with a long fuse on the bottom.

The printing on the side read _**Black Cat M-80 Industrial Grade**_ made Sirius freeze. Oh no. No, nonononono! What was about to happen could not be happening! Yet as he tried to tell himself it wasn't the soul freezing wail of agony pierced his ears. Blood was running in thick heavy rivers as the last three inches of the industrial grade and size firecracker was visible out of Narcissas chest.

"Just a final thing to think about Mrs. Malfoy, your precious Dark Lord tried to wipe out my birth family & I and failed once before." A crimson flame sparked on her fingertip as she held it near the fuse. Leaning in the girl smirked that dark demonic smile. "I'll even tell you my name after all, you're about to become a corpse for your sins. An example for what happens to those who truly get on my war path for.. Interrupting my relaxation and endanger the lives of the people I love. You may know my birth name, you may not but if you don't I'd be shocked. The test I had done revealed I was born Alexandria Potter but one Albus Dumbledore who tried to have me murdered for some barmy prophecy fucked up his own attempt to have me killed. Take my name to your grave, its Amelia Evans-Nightshade."

 _-OUTSIDE THE MEMORY-_

Ejected from the memory Sirius didn't need to see the rest to know. Narcissa was dead, an industrial grade and size firecracker that had who knows what done to the explosive material inside would kill her no matter what. "Is it..."

Amelia nodded her head finishin the question for Sirius. Taking his hand in her own she raised it to her lips kissing it lightly. "Double and triple checked already. James and Lily have been at Hogwarts since it was revealed somehow Alexandria was not just alive but part of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Dumbledore admitted to what Narcissa said about trying to mastermind murdering Alexandria. He admitted ro sabotaging the spell that should have sent her to you the night Voldemort attack Godrics Hollow" she said saueezingnhis hand. "Alexandria executed Dumbledore by hanging him using the authority of the Gryffindor family and their link as one of Her Majesties Knight Protectors of The Realm."

"I... I need a moment." Sirius freed his hand and left through the nearest floo overwhelmed.


	15. Grims and tea

Amelia reached into her pocket and pulled out the silver pocket watch she got for her twelvth birthday. Clicking the button at the top to release the casing shell she sighed after spotting the time and shutting the casd again. "He has five minutes before I leave." The sound of her voice echoed in the quiet Diagon Alley coffee shop, a rare enough and hard find considering the pains it took to grow coffee in the magical communtiy here in Britain apparently without making you sick. Stirring her mug of tea she peered into it silently wondering if reaching out had been the right thing.

The door to the coffee shop opened revealing the haggard form of one Sirius Black. His eyes searched the shop before landing on its sole customer. To call him surprised at the invitation to sit down with the witch responsible for the massacre of dozens of Death Eaters and drive Bellatrix into a right mental scare, his godchild no less, was the last thing he ever expected to happen. There were many within the Auror Corps who wanted to drag her in for murder and torturing 'upstanding British citizens' but his hard line that she, a foreign dignitary, was responsible for said acts as a means of self-defense and the defense of innocent students she could not be charged with the crimes they wanted her charged with. "I was surprised to find your invitation Lady Evans-Nightshade" he said walking up to the table and taking a seat across from her. Taking in her appearance he was surprised at the beauty she had become in the last nearly fourteen years. Sirius had suspected as an infant that his goddaughter would be beautiful but to see it first hand he was surprised at how right he had been.

"I was thinking you wouldn't show Padfoot." Amelia sipped her tea ignoring the shocked look that erupted on Sirius' face. "Being Chief Auror must cut into your personal time a lot that I half suspected you wouldn't be able to find time to meet me here" she said as she sat her mug down on the plate, mismatched eyes looking into the dark eyes staring at her in surprise.

Sirius almost pinched himself as he heard her call him Padfoot. How much did she remember of her infancy to recognize him? "It does but given the circumstances I made the necessary time" he said as a shop employee came over with a mug of tea for himself after a motion of his hand. "Not to sound presumptuous but your invitation was vague. What precisely did you wish to meet me here for?"

Amelia pondered for a moment being coy and trying to weasel the information she wanted out of him in the least conspicuous way possible but scrapped that idea. Sirius was the Chief Auror for magical Britain, criminals trying to be coy about their activities to avoid serving due justice for their crimes was something he would be used to. "Two fold" she said stirring her warm tea with a fingertip. "I'm sure you can guess the first."

"You want to feel out if you're going to be arrested for what you did."

Amelia arched a delicate eyebrow at Sirius' word choice. "Give the mangy mutt a prize" she said with a tiny smirk.

Sirius bristled for a moment before he relaxed back into his chair as a memory flashed by in his mind in the blink of an eye. Some of Amelias, then known as Alexandria, first words had been parroting James who had called jokingly called him a mangy mutt though coming from the tiny child it sound more like 'mangie butt'; Lily had been both amused and incensed at the same time as she chased her husband around the house tossing stinging hexes at his butt while cursing at him for putting innocent 'dirty words' in their daughters mouth while he had been laughing as he bounced Alexandria on his hip. "There are those who do want you arrested but there is no legal leg for charges to stick, trumped up as the muggles would say or otherwise. Breaking it down to bare basic facts, you defended yourself and others with the means at your disposal" he said shrugging his shoulder. "Whats your other reason for calling me out here?"

For a minute or two Amelia was silent as she pondered the best way to put it. While there was next to no feeling for Michael her brother, this was her godfather. This was the man who made up a lot of her memories before she was in the arms of her mother Katherine. A lot of James Potter time during the day of the memories she would later review, after she had gone with her mother to find out her birth families name, when she went to a mind healer to see if there any of her birth parents that could be dredged up showed him busy with something and only being home at night and even then he spent more time with her birth mother Lily than her though he did make strong efforts to spend time with her. It didn't count for much in her opinion. In the case of Lily Potter, the woman made far stronger efforts to spend time with her. But the one person, or dog really and that made her smirk melt slightly into something more gentle and soft, that was most prevalent was her godfather Sirius. "I wanted to see you."

The simplicity of the statement made Sirius do a double take. "See me?" he asked pointing to himself.

"No, the man who looks exactly like you" Amelia said rolling her eyes sarcastically. "Yes you ya mutt." She picked up the half eaten cookie hanging off the edge of her plate and broke a piece off before dipping into her tea. "I do not know what James and Lily have told you about their interactions with me. Really, I don't care if they have or not." She paused biting the dipped piece off and giving it a momentary chew before swallowing the damp piece of now tea sweetened oatmeal oookie. "Frankly their efforts have been appalling with all the elegance of a barbarian with a battering ram" she said as she tapped a manicured nail against the porcelain.

Sirius snorted in amusement at that statement. "Sounds like James at this point in time. Ever since you disappeared hes become something of a more than stereotypical Gryffindor blockhead" he said shaking head. Leaning forward in his seat he added a dash of milk and sugar to tea before striing. "Do you mind?" he asked gesturing to a plate containing a few more of the oatmeal cookies. "Your invitation caught me off guard this morning I had to skip out here for an early lunch that I haven't eaten yet" he said.

"By all means. They're sitting in the middle of the table for a reason" Amelia said crossin her left leg at the ankle over her right knee. "I'm sure you have questions so ask them."

"How much do you remember of us? What do you remember? How did you come to remember? Theres too many to ask but those are the big ones" Sirjus said grabbing two of the cookies off the plate for himself. Unlike James and Lilys attempts he would take the diplomatic and careful route with asking , no Amelia was reaching out to him so that was a good sign even if part of it was purely personal and legal sensing. His inner Grim was happy though his pup wanted to see _him_ of her own free will.

"To be frank" Amelia began as she rested one elbow on the table and rested her cheek against a palm "it isn't a whole lot. I was what, fifteen months when Voldemort attacked? Understandably you can't hope for many memories to fully stick for a child so young " She broke off another piece of her cookie and nibbled for a moment before continuing with the explanation as she saw Sirius take a bite into one of his own. "Prominent among the ones that came from trips to the mind healers after I went and found out about my birth family, before you ask no I was not abused or mistreated growing up" she said as she gave him a light glare seeing him gain an alarmed look at the statement. "My mother Katherine Nightshade, Morgana bless and watch over her, had said they might be able to help me remember any memories that lay dormant of them. To call me less than impressed with James is an understatement, Lily made much more concerted efforts so I do give her credit but between his whining and bitching about Wizengamot this or that it was like she was juggling two children instead of one."

Sirius nodded his head at that summary. James had always never been a fan of politics and when he had been made Lord Potter after his fathers passing it had been like pulling teeth the muggle way to get him to fulfill his politcial obligations. "Sounds about right from my recollection."

"But you, you make up a lot of what I do remember. Playing with me in your human and Grim form, reading to me, curling up in your animagus form and napping with me serving as my willing pillow." The soft smile that was at the edges of her lips grew a little more. "I wanted to see that after all these years apart that my mangy mutt godfather who watched me like his own daughter instead of his godchild was ok."

Sirius felt his heart clench at the sight before him. As different as the young woman before him was to the pup he helped raise for nearly a year and a half, her heart was still the same. "I'm alright pup" he said abandoning the cookie he'd been holding in favor of taking Amelias hand not resting against her face in his own. The callouses on her fingers and palms made him frown internally. Just what had she gotten into all these years to have this many callouses?

"I'm a War Witch" Amelia said answering Sirius' searching gaze. "Not certified but might as well be. Sara and I have to take our certification before before the Headmistress & the Irish War Wizard and Witch Council but we have all the skills and training."

 _That_ caught Sirius off guard as his eyes widened. She was a War Witch?! He let her hand go and leaned back in his chair. War Mages were highly trained and deadly but they were often older and usually far more experienced in law enforcement fields. "How? When? Why?" Trying to come up with a coherent question was hard. Now he felt like James and demanding answers like that but knew it would turn her away from.

"Its in my blood. The Evans family of Ireland were well known for not just being the retainer of Her Majesties Irish Royal Knights but many were War Wizards and Witches. Add in that the Evans family has been known to head what many label the Cult of The Dragon with both Slayers and Priests or Priestesses" Amelia said. Unlike James and Lily who barged and demanded, she was glad Sirius was _asking_ & although she suspected he would like full disclosure his eyes said he knew there would be things she wouldn't tell him. "I began school, began to learn to the Evans and Nightshade family magics. Following tradition felt right so I found my second and we began to train. The Keeps Headmistress noticed our training, took us under her wing. Things went from there" she said shrugging.

"I see. Lily would have a health scare if she heard that" Sirius said to himself though he saw Amelia shrug like she could care less. "Anything else you want to surprise this old dog with?"

"I wouldn't call you old Padfoot, you don't have a white hair on your head I can see" Amelia said as the soft smile turned back into a playful smirk. "Unless you color your hair like the muggles do." Her tone was decidingly teasing as she chuckled a little and relaxed back into her seat.

"I will have you know I do _not_ color my hair" Sirius said with mock indignation though he smirked back at Amelia. His pup was still there, she was grown up and different but the heart that made her _his pup_ was still beating strong in her chest.

The silence was comfortable for a moment between them before Amelia leaned forward and took Sirius' hand in her own before she nuzzled her face affectionately into the palm of his hand like she had as a toddler. "It brings my heart joy and relief to know you've been ok all these years Sirius" she said quietly. Her emerald eye met his own gaze and glowed with a warmth. "Your pup has missed you.."

Sirius took his hand back and walked around the table before embracing Amelia tightly. He was almost surprised at her height and strength but discarded it for later thought as he felt her arms surround him as well. "I missed my pup and never stopped hoping & praying she was ok. Never stopped believing you were still alive out there somewhere." He kissed the top of her head and smiled faintly feeling her nuzzle into his shoulder.

* * *

Outside the shop from a nearby alley Luna smiled softly looking upon the scene with a warm gaze. Sometimes it worked best to help facilitate the reunion at the request of one you hold so dear. To see Amelias aura so bright with not just relief but a myriad of positive emtions clashing together well made her know she had done the right thing. "Another puzzle piece fits into place" she said to herself before tapping her wand twice on a piece of non-descript rope that would bring her back to Hogsmeade. Some folks at the ministry who interviewed her after the massacre at Hogsmeade were more than happy to help her arrange this by supplying the portkeys to Diagon Alley from Hogsmeade and another for when they would be going back from Diagon Alley to Hogsmeade. Amelia would follow back in her own time when she was ready.

* * *

"So tell me everything. What have you learned? Are there any boys I have to warn off? Do I..."

Amelia chuckled and embraced Sirius tighter nuzzling more into him. "You haven't changed a bit from the you I remember Padfoot" she said between soft laughs. Most questions she answered over the course of the next hour while some she didn't offering up to questions like specific magics were Nightshade or Evans family magics & something she wouldn't discuss with anyone but her children when she had them. Sirius respected that reasoning since family magics were sacred in a sense, particularly if you have positions of high seating, and she was glad that he did. By the time their tea was cold she felt a million times lighter than she had initally thought she would feel. As they embraced one last time she kissed his cheek once and nuzzled it as he held her tighter for a minute.

"Keep in touch pup. I don't plan on losing track of you again" Sirius said as he let go and tousled Amelias hair.

Amelia reached into her slacks pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment before scrawling an address in rapid but legible cursive with a pen she drew out of her other pocket. "Don't let James or Lily know you have this. This is my home address. You can send me letters after the tournament here. In time I'll give you the floo address but not right now. Not saying I don't trust you, you've always given me reason to trust you as a child, but I want to make sure. Particularly with how thick their skulls are" she said handing him the parchment.

Sirius nodded his head and took a long look committing the address to memory before he cast a quick incendiary charm turning the parchment to ash. "I understand pup" he said. Before she could exit the coffee shop door he embraced her from behind and kissed the top of her. "I know you're in the tournament and you've proven yourself to be deadly efficient with a wide array of magics but... Be safe. For me."

"I will but not just for you." Amelia gently pried Sirius' hands free from around her before she tapped her ring to the belt buckle on her belt.

In a moment Sirius was alone in the shop entrance. Later on under questioning from his wife he'd tell Amelia enough about the meeting to satisfy her curiousity but also make clear he would rather keep what happened to himself for the time being. He had his pup back and he wanted to keep that close to the vest away from James and Lily, not just because he didn't feel like listening to them bitch & moan but tied with his marriage to his wife it had him feeling such a relief and lighter than air.

* * *

A/N: so thats a wrap. Initially I wasn't going to do a chapter for Amelia and Sirius meeting for another couple of chapters but I couldn't resist it. I know its sappy and some people won't like it but you know what I got to say to that? Fuck off and read something else if you don't. Sirius displayed a lot more paternal love for Amelia than James did despite his efforts, as evidenced by what she remembered with the mind healers help, so her being more affectionate towards him only makes sense. It does to me anyway. Anyways, this isn't just a feel good filler chapter- a hint towards parts of the plot has been dropped- while I continue working on the chapter for the third task which will NOT be the canon maze but still involve the involvement of Voldemort and his remaining Death Eaters though he will be beyond incensed at the loss of so many to a not graduated witch who took out so many of his best Death Eaters on her lonesome.


	16. Final Task part 1

Amelia sat atop the astronomy contemplating her meeting with Sirius, her eyes barely registering the meteor shower happening in the night sky in front of her. Some of her classmates made comments about it but the white haired witch was the singular mute voice through it all. She was happy with the reunion, her heart felt lighter reconnecting with Sirius and she knew in large part she had Luna to thank for her part in it all. How the blonde managed to get her invitation through to Sirius' office, finding the coffee shop and somehow arranging what she thought was at best a possibity into a certainty when all was said & done blew her mind. If she didn't know better she would say that the Goddess granted her a miracle and used Luna as her instrument to do so.

"You're conspicuously silent for someone who finds beauty in all of our Goddesses many wonders" Luna said as she laid her head on Amelias shoulder. Silvery blue eyes watched the streaks passing through the sky with a glittering amusement like the blonde already knew what was occupying Amelias thoughts.

Amelia chuckled and turned her head looking down on Luna. "Thinking of another wonder. One whose orchestration was put through not by Her divine will but the delicate hands of a beautiful blonde angel" she said after pressing a soft kiss to her cousins temple. Around them she could feel some eyes briefly look at them but she paid it no mind. "I don't know how to thank you Luna. I didn't think that it wa-"

Lunas eyes never left the sky as she raised a finger to Amelias lips silencing her. "Don't thank me then. Its what you do for family and the people you love" she said with a small smile. "Sirius is your godfather and if I could help you reconnect with him I was going to do it even if you hadn't asked my help. It was a no brainer for me Amy. So don't thank me for doing what anyone who cares about you would do and make up for lost time with him."

Amelia felt a warmth of unabashed love fill her chest for Luna in that moment. Sometimes she was still shocked by the selfless actions the blonde would take for those who showed her genuine care and warmth of pure acceptance but it was those same actions that made her a little jealous for the person Luna would eventually wound up with knowing in her heart it would not be her even if she didn't voice it like she promised. "Only if you stop being so modest. If you didn't help the meeting would be iffy of happening at all at the very best and you somehow made the stars align so it was a certainty. That is incredible, you are incredible and you need to be a little proud of all the great things you do" she said as she rested her cheek atop the blondes head and wrapped an arm around her drawing the girl in close.

Luna pressed into the comfortable warmth and barely nodded her head. "I suppose I can do that. If it'll make you not thank me for doing the obvious thing" she said resting a hand on Amelias leg. The remainder of the meteor shower passed in comfortable silence between them, the other Keep students slowly filing out as the streaks diminished in number til it was only them two, Janette and Sara left as the last star fell across the sky.

* * *

The day of the third task Amelia sat impassively in the champions waiting tent staring at the Durmstrang and Hogwarts champions. No matter what method she tried with spying on the judges, divination methods to draw some clue from the ether and even consulting a fortune teller she didn't know what to expexct of the task. Letters between herself and Sirius did let her vent her frustrations, though she was constant in her closing for him to burn her letters so there was no evidence after he read them, about not knowing so she wasn't as pent up as the Hogwarts champion who was pacing seemed to be. "Will you sit down and stop muttering that stupid mantra? Ten galleons says the damn spectators hear you before you wear a tread into the ground for China" she said once her patience finally wore thin enough.

Cedric blinked before having the decency to look sheepish. "Sorry, the anxiety of not knowing gets to everyone on some level you know" he said scratching his cheek sheepishly.

"Vhatever helps you be comfortable. Foolish Englishman" Viktor said with a disapproving eyeroll. He did not understand his competition. The girl could wield magics most could not and was a deadly lethal force all unto herself from the reports of her massacring dozens of terrorist in Hogsmeade by herself. Of course he had been skeptical of such second hand retelling until the people who had gone into the quaint village that day all told the same story from what they saw through the safety of building windows as she cut a bloody swathe through silver masked wizard and witches with guns & wandless magic leaving a tall pile of corpses at the center of the village. He was less impresed with the British wizard who while he had potential was decidedly less so than the seemingly, on appearances only, harmless looking witch.

Cedric turned his gaze to Viktor and scowled. "You vant to tell me you are not anxious?" he asked with a mockingly rude bad accent like he had been trying to copy the Bulgarians own. "None of us have been able to figure out what the task even relates and lets face it, we all have tried. We'd be idiots not too." He dropped the mocking and plopped down on an empty fold up chair. "The judges were tighter lipped than a virgin on prom night."

"Do you even get the reference you're making?" Amelia asked with a dirty look. She couldn't help thinking moments like this was why she preferred women over men most of the time. Guys would make comments like that without thinking or in whose company they were in while a woman would at least _check_ her current company before deciding whether or not making the comment was wise, at least that was her experience with most guys and girls. "I mean do you really know what you're saying? Or are you running off at the mouth as part of your 'anxiety'?" she asked crossing her arms under her chest.

"Yes I get the reference but it was meant to break the silence. Don't get your panties in a bunch princess" Cedric said with a scowl. He wasn't one to be short with people but if you couldn't tell when someone says something inappropriate to break a tense mood or lighten it up you needed to get laid in his book. "It was supposed to break the silence."

"For vhat reason? The silence is a tool usevul for preparation" Viktor said as his fingers interlocked in front of his face.

Amelia nodded her head and pantomimed patting Viktor on the shoulder since the Bulgarian was a bench by himself on a different side of the tent away from her or the Hogwarts guy. "I have to go agree with our socialist economy, Red Army politics bear of a man over there. Take this time to prepare like before. This task could be anything. It would behoove you to be prepared for anything" she said as she ignored the dirty look from Viktor.

* * *

Up in the stands Amelia Bones-Black stood near her husband Sirius as he half-heartedly listened and replied to conversation with the Potter couple. James was whining about his daughter refusing to be in same area as him while Lily mentioned Amelia, talk about feeling like you were talking about yourself she thought absently, barely looked at her. "Forgive my bluntness but she seems the type from everything you two are saying to be doing to you for a reason. Not just that but you pause often which tells me you two aren't saying something which may very well attribute to her not wanting to be around you or look at you" she said blandly.

James looked scaldalized and opened his mouth to say something but Lily covered his mouth with her hand. "Some actions were taken with a bit too much zealous and directed by Dumbledore who until his admission of trying to kill Alexandria for whatever reason we had no reason to distrust. I tried to explain but she wouldn't hear it" Lily said shaking her head.

"Do you blame the pup? Dumbledore admitted in a packed hall of foreign students and Hogwarts own that he tried to murder the magical savior who killed Voldemort. You two nodded and went along with his word like puppies to a master offering you a bone. Would _you_ trust her to say anything to you if the situation were reversed?" Sirius asked as bluntly and in the same bland tone as his wife. "I know I wouldn't if it was me."

Whatever James and Lily were going to say was cut off as an amplified voice filled the arena. "Ladies and gentlemen, honored guest- allow me to welcome you to the final task of the Tri-Wizard-Tournament" Minerva said holding her wand to her own throat to power the sonorous charm. "To recap the standings of our champions we have Viktor Krum of Durmstang in first place with forty three points. Second plase is Hogwarts own Cedric Diggory with forty points. Last but certainly not least ae have Alex-"

A warning bullet shot out of the tent and impacted the dirt ground in front of Minerava sending soft soil flying into her face.

"Pardon, Amelia Nightshade with twenty six points. The last event shall be quite unorthodx from tournaments. The champions were told that the last task they face is one of the unknown with no way to know whatsoever what it could be. Here to reveal what the task is the British Ministry of Magics Barty Crouch Senior to tell not only the champions but we the judges and you the audience."

Viktor looked over to the white haited witch as she blew away the smoke away from the end of barrel of the gun in her hand. "You are violent, you know this yes?" he asked with a momentary minute tilt of his head as he contemplated the only female competitor.

"I've been told that a lot. Many have told its sexy actually. To each their own right"Amelia said holstering the pistol under her open jacket. "Personally I don't care if people find my twitchy violent response attractive or repulsive. So long as people don't give me a reason to be violent, like not listening to me and repeatedly using a name for me that is not my name, I eat sunshine and shit pleasant rainbows of sugary sweetness to the people around me. But people don't know when to quit being retards over here so I get to be a violent DOAB over here and scare people for fun. Works out for me either way."

"DOAB?" Viktor asked sounding confused as he looked.

"Demon of a bitch" Amelia said clarifying for the Bulgarian who nodded his head.

Cedric looked between his two competitors like they lost her minds. The Bulgarian barely chose to speak and when he it was in short clips of rhetorical questions while the Irish witch was a trigger happy seeming borderline sociopath with an extremely short fuse. _'If I see them any time after this tournament it'll be too soon'_ he thought to himself.

"The final task for the Tri-Wizard-Tournament, and I can't believe I'm saying this but what the hell, has been deemed to be" Crouch paused in reading the card in his hand to make sure he was seeing this right "...a talent show? Are you yanking my on my wand here? A ruddy talent show?" he asked looking over to the judges who had no reaction except Joyce who looked incredulously at them.

"This tournament is about showing the versatility of magic and how adept the champions are at using its various branches. Whose sodding idea was it to include a trivial pissant idea like a _talent show_ as a task?" Joyce asked with a twitchy eyebrow. "This is not just a waste of our time but a waste of our student champions."

"I do believe the fault lies in the late Headmaster Dumbledore. He was quite childish in some regards and even with this tournament being very adult in nature for students about to enter the real world he felt a chance for them to showcase a non-combative or life saving talent as a closing 'task' would be great decompression from the tournaments other dangerous tasks. Of course I am speculating since your student hung him to death"Minerva said shooting Joyce a scathing look.

"As was her right since he admitted publically trying to murder her as a babe. The statutes of limitation do not run out on murder or attempted murder of a Lord or Lady of a House" Joyce shot back with an icy tone. "Not to mention mandatory sentencing for the offendor is death or enslavement to the living members of the house for the rest of the offenders life."

"Ladies, ladies can we move on from that rather unsavory business? Its done and over with" Ludo Bagman said trying to placate both witches.

Joyce said nothing and focused her eyes to the arena floor as Crouch brought out Amelia first.

"Ms. Nightshade, since you are the champion with the lowest score you will showcase your talent first" Crouch said already beginning to make healthy distance between him and the white haired witch anticipating her 'talent' to be something destructive or deadly.

"Hold your roll there, talent?" Amelia asked with a bewildered expression.

"Yes I just finished explaining the final task is a talent sho-"

Amelias eyebrow twitched as her hands clenched. "A talent show? I prepared for dueling matches, monster slaying and you peons have the last event for this tournament being us performing like trained monkeys for your amusement?" she asked with a sickly sweet smile. "You want me to showcase a talent? I'll give you a talent!"

The Keep students facefaulted as Amelia chased Barty Crouch Senior around the arena. When she caught the man she made a human pretzel out of him as his head bobbed back and forfh obviously dazed. "Ta-da! I made a human pretzel!" she said giving a theatrical bow which made many question if she was being serious. "But if I have to actually be serious, fine. This magic works best if you all close your eyes and keep an open mind." Her eyes roved the stands seeing tbousands of students look at her doubtfully. "Just do it before I turn you all into human pretzels!"

Luna snorted finding it funny how quickly people responded to threats of violence. As her own eyes and that of the other Keep students closed the sound of a piano filled the air. Unlike Amelias use of sound based magic in the second task this use was different. Behind her closed eyes a scene began to unfold, a scene of what she could see as a happy future.

While she played phantom piano like she had to control the giant squid in the lake during the second task Amelia saw two people who didn't follow ber command, James and Lily Potter. She wasn't really surprised but instead she rolled her eyes expecting this to happen. _'And you two morons fail the test to see if you had more than two brain cells to rub together between the two of you. I was going to make the spell show you something but now you get to miss out on it_ _'_ she thought closing her own eyes letting the spell summon up a memory for her of her and her mother. This memory in particular, though one of dozens like it in terms of being treasured, was special since it was her first piano lesson with her mother before her magic lessons began in earnest. She had been understandably naive of what most of what was being said to her back then but her mother had taken the time to start teaching her about something the older witch was passionate about, music.

Inside the tent as the piano music filtered in Viktor and Cedric shared a look. A talent show? Despite the previous two tasks being combative and violent of one nature or another, someone managed to make the last event a talent show...for real? What where they expecting them to, party tricks? This was a tournament showing how versatile you were with magic, not showing off your free time hobby yet that was what was expected of them. Cedric palmed his face trying to wrack his brain for something. The space probably had some material he could transfigure into useable something or other to make a show of some variety.

Viktor scowled deeply as he closed his eyes thoughtfully. He was combat trained by virtue of his classes at Durmstrang and a quidditch player, he no 'talent show' worthy talent.

* * *

Lily frowned slightly as her senses told her something was wrong. She hadn't closed her eyes solely on the fact she didn't trust for something to happen here in the arena that happened in Hogsmeade. Safe as the Hogwarts wards were, no ward scheme was foolproof or completely unbreakable. Still something told her she made a mistake as she saw nearly every eye in the arena closed, even Amelia amd Sirius' own as the woman leaned into her husband. "James.."

The male Potter didn't respond to his wife at first. The same sense told him not listening was a bad decision but a second sense overpowered the first as his eyes roved around. There was something wrong in the air and his old sixth sense as an Auror told him he should be looking for threats but his eyes revealed none. "Quiet. Something is very wrong here" James said in a subdued tone. James was proved right as moments later as a side entrance to the arena was blew wide open with an overpowered blasting curse breaking tbe spell of whatever Alexandria had been doing.

"Kill the mudbloods and capture that white haired bitch! The Dark Lord wants her alive to make her suffer for her crimes!"

"Death Eaters!" a terrified student screamed as a blasting curse nearly hit her and she ran for the closest cover.

"I hate being right! Sirius, wheres that contingent of Aurors supposed to be posted here?" James asked drawing his wand and cast a series of stunners dropping three silver masked Death Eaters.

Sirius cursed as he tapped his wand on the emergency portkey sending Amelia to safety. As good as his wife was in a fight, that was strictly in controlled dueling situations and these were not those. "Already dispatching from strategic points around the stadium! How the hell did Death Eaters get in undetected?!"

Down in the arena itself a dark smile etched itself onto Amelias face as several cutting curses drew blood. "Come into my web and rest said the spider to tne fly... For this shall be the place in which you die..." she said as her eyes opened glowing with a malevolent glint. The carnage that followed, added to by the Aurors who were following in the same vein to put the Death Eaters down and keep them down unlike some who were stunning the terrorists, left her soaked entirely in blood as reinforcements arrived on the tails of a very pissed off looking serpentine faced man. "Come to face me for yourself hmm?" she asked with a demented giggle as she snapped a female Death Eater recruits neck, no more than nineteen at most, with blood slick hands. "Very generous of you, these toys are dreadfully dull and fragile." Another demented giggle escaped her lips after she spit out some of their blood got into her mouth. "Not to mention you need to feed them better. Their diet is really poor in iron" she said matter of factly.

* * *

A/N: so ends parts one of the final TWT task. This will be a two part chapter where I plan to _**ATTEMPT**_ a half-way decent battle scene between Voldemort and Amelia but no promises since battles aren't my forte. I know I'm going to get flak for the final 'task' being what it is but remember Dumbledore was involved in the planning of the tournament. Being the dementia patient we all know him to be implied to be through canon due to his actions, I can see him trying to make good on his perceived image to reach an end game concerning the other two competiting schools from the get go of the tournament being revived with such an almost 'senile' decision.

*How did the Death Eaters get into Hogwarts grounds is another question I know is about to be asked since it was asked essentially during the Hogsmeade attack where Amelia had fun committing small scale genocide. Both instances will be explained in part two.

*Also in part two something will rock the boat between James and Lily & Sirius and Amelia, his wife not our homecidal lovable war witch heroine. Some people already accuratelyppredicted a blow up if James and Lily learned of Sirius and our heroine meeting up without them knowing and I think without evidence of it James may _accuse_ Sirius of something concerning Amelia if he oh, I don't know sees our favorite man-child-mutt act a lot more concerned than he should if Amelias injuries were severe enough in the aftermath of the attack on the arena. Could the blow-up create an unrepairable schism between the Potters and the Blacks? Or am I blowing smoke onto smoldering coals to make more smoke just so you're all making hypotheticals in your own minds to try and connect dots in what you _think_ is tbe rignt way when in all reality you're connecting all the _wrong_ dots? **I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER THAT... YET.**

Last but not least, I got a couple of people asking if I am adamant on the pairing being **not** AmeliaxLuna, yes this is adamantly set in stone. Their date to Hogsmeade, their behaviour as touchy-feely-cuddly-kissy girlfriends type crap is intentional misdirection. Luna ultimately will end up with an OC irish student from The Keep. Amelias partner, or partners, has been set in stone since I first did the rough draft. That character will be brought in soon I promise.

As always I appreciate everyone who reads my works & leaves reviews, favorites or just shoots a message saying something as simple as 'hey dude, nice work and can'f wait to see more'. Some people seem to forget that theres power in positive reinforcement. This is by no a means a dig at anyone of my readers since everyone here in the HP section of this site is pretty good about stating criticism constructively to better give a pov to better the story from the readers side but all it takes is for one real nit picky asshole to be a douchebag and anon review a story to tear it to shreds fo convince a writer to abandon their work. I know, I've seen it happen and I'm sure others have too.


	17. Mediation and talks of strength

Amelia grimaced as she violently chucked away the Auror who tried to help her up. "I said I don't ya fecking help English retard" she said as she clutched at her wounded side. Despite the battle being one sided for the most part she was proud of herself for managing to distract the snake faced ass long enough for the full contingent of Aurors to fight back. Many of the skull masked morons got away by their own means, either by apparition or emergency portkey which still annoyed her, while some of those not so lucky were killed.

Sara jumped down into the arena from the lowest viewing row and crossed over to her agitated friend who pulled her gun and levelled it squarely at the mans chest as crimson markings shone on the barrel. "I'd listen to her if I was you. That crimson glow from the barrel means she has a dragon fire shell chambered inside the barrel. She pulls that trigger and that bullet pierces your body you are more than dead. You might as well have never existed, that is how fast your body will burn away to nothing. Not even ashes" she warned the man who froze on the spot.

Luna, who dropped the barrier protecting herself as well as the other Keep students and some Hogwarts kids she erected using her blood as the medium, ran down into the arena and began to fret over Amelia. "You stupid beautiful idiot" she cursed her cousin as she pried the other witches hand away. The hiss and threatening growl did nothing as she gave the white haired older witch a slap across the face shutting her up. "You could've gotten yourself killed doing that stunt! What were you thinking?!" she asked demanding an answer.

Sara rolled her eyes and sighed to herself. Around her the moans and sounds of the injured mingled with what could only be described as the sound of loss as some crying reached her ears. Many were injured and it was unfortunate that some died but thanks to the focus seemingly being on Amelia the dead numbered less than a dozen while the injured were not so lucky to number in the dozens. "She wasn't Luna and thats the problem when she gets in a bloody trance. Her violent side takes over and disregards her own survival instincts to cause the most damage she can. Isn't that right Amelia" she said with a hard look as she tapped her foot.

"Ok two things. First of all, ow! Hurting an injured is NOT what you do! Even if you are mad at them" Amelia said shooting Luna dirty look as she rubbed her cheek unfazed by the blood staining her clothes heavily. She could already feel her magic beginning to kick in healin the worst injuries, she'd need to see a Healer about some potions for blood replenishers and probably dreamless sleep draughts tonight but the worst injuries her magic was already starting to fix. "Second of all" she let the dirty look dance between both girls "I didn't _pick the fight!_ That snake faced fuck came at me and hes a megalomaniac with a want to see the world burned and redone in his image. Going all psycho crazy bitch is kind of the order of the situation in something like that!"

Luna snorted at that before she pulled both Amelia and Sara into a hug though she was careful about their injuries. Even with her being less familiar with Amelias War Witch partner she and the other girl had enough in common to enjoy each others company outside of trying to keep their white haired troublesome partner/cousin out of trouble. "I'm just glad you two are ok" she said as a tremor passed down her spine. She hated conflict, it was the reason her bullies got away with so much at Hogwarts, and to nearly lose two people she considered dear... She shook the thought away mentally lest it draw upon a reaction that would be less than currently ideal.

Amelias eyes softened as she recocked the safety and wrapped one arm around Luna feeling the tremor. "To quote my favorite animated movie 'Ohana means family and family means never getting left behind'. If you thought we were going to leave you behind by dying then you should get a head check Luna" she said kissing the blondes forehead.

"Everyone at The Keep is a fighter. We don't let our brothers and sister fight alone & we never go down easy. We aren't leaving you anytime soon and thats a promise" Sara said wrapping one of her own arms around Luna. "So close your eyes, count to ten and take a few deep breaths. We're here, we're alive and its where we're staying." The tone of her words took on an almost maternal sort of soothing calmness to it as her arm around the blonde witch rubbed her back.

Luna ahuddered a bit and despite her near borderline mental breakdown smiled softly at both of the older witches. "You're right... Teach me to fight like you do two do" she said as a steely resolve entered her eyes. "I can't just stand back and be the defensive wall. I have brothers and sisters who will be counting on me to have their backs from now." Her eyes cut over to the other Keep students who were actively helping to transport the injured students to the castle infirmary. "I can't let them down or be useless to them like I was only able to put up a barrier."

"Luna stop right there" Amelia said with a firm but gentle tone. "We all train to fight but we aren't all straight up combat fighters. A lot of the girls have gifts as warders and some are training to be healers. You managed to protect your brothers and sisters with a barrier, one of the harder types of wards to make & harder still to make under extreme duress. Follow the muggle saying 'Work smarter not harder'."

* * *

Up in the astronomy tower that night Amelia sat puffing off a joint as she watching the moon rise. "What are you doing here?" she asked with a dry callous tone. Her temporary wards alerted her to the Potter couple making their way up the tower minutes ago. How they found out she liked it up here was beyond her in the moment but she equally didn't care. The dreamless sleep draught hadn't worked and despite the pain numbing potions her hands still shook as her body & magic worked to fix itself up. "No, better question is what do you want?"

Lily glared at James who opened his mouth and just as quickly shut it. "To talk" the redheaded witch replied. She noticed the rolled up cigarette hanging from Alexandrias lips and scowled deeply. Substances like Fluxweed, the magically grown and much more potent cousin to muggle marijuana, were a class three controlled substance in Britain & here was her long lost daughter blatantly smoking a joint like she could care less who saw.

"I'm not interested." Amelia looked down from the sky to her hand and saw the shaking seemed to calm for the most part. It wasn't as good as the draught knocking her out like it was supposed to do, and failed to do, so her magic could do a mostly thorough overnight heal. "Your husband is disgusted by my willingness to kill when he has drank so much of Albus Dumbledores kool-aid he might as well have been Jim Jones." Pulling the joint from between her lips she exhaled a faint but fine green mist as her eyes closed. "So what is there to talk about?" she asked. "As far as I'm concerned theres nothing that needs conversing about."

Luna lifted her head and nuzzled Amelias cheek as she ignored the Potters surprise at her presence. "Be nice and quit hogging it" she said taking the joint from Amelia. "At least hear her out before you stab in her heart with your obsidian edged words."

Lily grimaced at the blasé tone the blonde haired girl used before taking her own puff off the drug. "Look, we keep trying to ask you to give a chance to speak and you keep turning us away without hearing us out. Yes we were overzealous in being agressive and making unreasonable requests-"

"Demands of me" Amelia cut in taking the joint from Lunas lips before taking a long final drag off it and stubbed the roach out on the masonry.

"Dumbledore lied as much to us as he did the whole of Britain about you. About what happened to you." Lily wafched a flick of her daughters fingers incinerate the remains of the joint to nothing but ash carried away by the wind.

"Get to the interesting bit already. You are boring me and solving the work around for Groudins Elemental Transformative Principal that has been unsolved for centuries is getting more appealing by the second. Or spooning with this beauty right here curled up into my side" Amelia said as her arm around Luna squeezed gently, a finger teasing strands of blonde hair behind slightly pointed elfen-like ears.

"Perhaps it would be best if there was a mediator between you three." From the stairs emerged a rather worn out looking Sirius Black still clothed in his bloodstained Auror robes. "Its late and I doubt the tournament will be continued til the wounded are all tended too. Last check I made in the infirmary Neville and Cedric got wounded by blasting curses that sent them flying & breaking limbs."

"Sirius we have a handl-" James started to sau but got cut off by a cough.

"No, I think I'll agree with the wet dog smelling Auror. You want to talk, we'll talk but hes mediating. And I'm not doing it right now since I'll be more inclined to shoot your impulsive husband Lady Potter & not care. Well, care less" Amelia said as she let go of Luna and stood up. Offering a hand to the blonde she helped the shorter witch to her feet before she pulled the girl close wrapping her arm back around her. "Bed time for us beautiful." As she led Luna down the stairs, and twisting her shoulder to avoid the touch from Lily, she pressed a light peck to the blondes lips.

Luna leaned into the kiss deepening it for a split second. "Whatever you say my earthbound goddess" she said loudly, yet softly enough through her yawn, enough for all the adults to hear as they disappeared down the astronomy tower steps and she pressed as close to Amelias side as possible to soak up her warmth.

"Sirius what the hell?! We almost had her listening to us!" Lily growled in annoyance. They had been so close, ok she had been so close but it was the same thing!

"No you didn't Lily and you know it. She was doing you humor more than anything else and that was more in part due to the Fluxweed than actually caring about anything you had to say" Sirius said leaning against the rampart as her drew his wand and cast a cleaning charm on himself finally able to rid of the Death Eater blood staining his clothes & skin. "Look, I don't know why shes agreeing but if I have to mediate for you three to have a dialogue than LISTEN to her. She holds the cards, not you. In all but saying it shes renounced herself from the Potter family. Renounced hersefl from anything that has to do with you two." Pulling a flask from his robe he unscrewed the cap and took a swig he kept for long stressful after raid headaches.

James grabbed the flask without asking and downed nearly half the alcoholic contents before tossing it back to Sirius. "Look Sirius, we were trying to seriously apologize. Well, Lils was going to since she doesn't want to hear a word from me. We fucked up listening to Dumbledore and fucked up bad" he said with a grimace.

"I could have told you that a long time ago" Sirius said with a scowl as he offered Lily the flask. Even though Lily never drank normally it was often when she was stresed or really upset that she would. If he had to compare Lily to anything given the last few months it would a spting being continually wound. Sooner or later, his money was on sooner though, she would properly snap at someone and Merlin better be nice enough it ISN'T Amelia or he already knew his goddaughtef would neve return until probably James & Lily died to dance a jig on their grave. "For once don't listen to what that dead bastard ingrained in your skulls and listen to somebody else. I'll talk to her Headmistress to setup a place and time tomorrow, I'll mediate the whole thing so neither of you fucks this up entirely that my godchild doesn't make the decision to never return."

* * *

"Are you going seriously going to sit down with them?" Luna asked as she snuggled into the warm blanket of Amelias bed trapped between her Amelia and her partner Sara. She had been surprise the two had been waiting for her already tucked into be in nothing but their bra and panties. Her mind assumed far too many naughty things before Sara pulled her into the spot between before they curled up to her resting their heads on her shoulders.

"Sirius will be there to keep them on a leash and I'm taking you two with me so yes I am. Do you think I wouldn't have some sort of plan? For shame Luna" Amelia said lightly slapping the blondes wrist. A yawn pried itself from her throat as mismatched eyes fluttered close and her muscles relaxed completely. "You know I love you both right?" she asked with a sleepiness beginning to edge her words.

Sara smiled softly and took one of Amelias hands in her own before laying soft kisses on the scarred knuckles. "Considering all we been through together and you tell me on a daily basis how could I not?" she asked chuckling softly. "And you already know the feeling is mutual. You are my best friend, my sister in all but blood and most importantly you are my partner. How could I not love you back dolt?"

Luna laughed softly and turned her head so she could lay a kiss on Amelias forehead. "I know you love me too and that feeling is wholeheartedly mutual but rest for now. That goes for both of you" she said once she pulled back. "I think we all know tomorrow will be quite.. Taxing if James and Lily don't toe the line very carefully." She heard Saras sound of agreement but the soft steady breaths that brushed her shoulders made the blonde heart melt. Sure the Fluxweed probably helped to ease Amelia into a relaxed state but to fall so quickly asleep but knowing she had two people who wholeheartedly and without reservation loved her as much as she loved them did much more Luna imagined. Carefully moving her arms she pulled the covers up over all three of them so it was up their chins before wrapping her arms around the two older witches. "Night Sara."

Sara didn't respond verbally but just kissed Lunas cheek before nuzzling into the blonde as her eyes closed.

* * *

A/N: yea I know I promised an attempt at a battle scene but truth be told everyone one of the paper drafts, about a dozen in total, sucked more than a two knut whore in Knockturn Alley. I will reference some of the better parts of the drafts in segments of a flashback next chapter since questions will be raised at the sit down between James & Lily and the girls while Sirius makes sure no one does anything stupid, that is an absoltue promise.


	18. Thats mediation? Poor mans interrogation

Amelia yawned as she sat down at the private table that was supposed to be the spot for the mediated talk with James and Lily. The pair had about ten minutes til they were supposed to be there, enough time for a joint she thought to herself. Pulling one from her cigarette case* she had barely put it between her lips before the sounds of footsteps approached. "So much for that idea" she muttered to herself putting it back. Turning her head she saw Sirius approaching with Luna in tow. "Uh huh... Luna, why are you here gorgeous?"

"Make sure you don't kill them for saying something completely stupid even with your godfather right here" Luna said skipping over and transfiguring a stuffy table placemat into a rather comfy blanket. She ignored the raised eyebrow on Amelias face as she then turned her wand on the stiff back chair her cousin was sat on changing it into something more akin to a comfy reading chair. "That should do I suppose." Without so much as an explanation to either Amelia or Sirius she plopped down on the older witches lap and pulled the light blanket across them getting rid of the worst of the draft blowing through the castle. "Yes, this will do just nice." With a pleased look she leaned up and stole a momentary kiss off Amelias lips before nuzzling into the white haired witches throat.

Sirius eyebrow was nearly in his hairline by the time James and Lily showed up. He had the understanding that through some convoluted way that his godchild and Luna were cousins but the blonde witch treated Amelia like she was her girlfriend or wife and the white haired witch did nothing to correct her in the slightest. At least nothing to his knowledge anyways. Hearing a throat clearing his gaze turned to find James and Lily waiting in the doorway. "You two are early, color me surprised. At you James, Lily has always been the one to err on the side of being a few minutes early to an appointment" the Black Lord said as he took a seat on Amelias side after pulling up a chair. "Since I'm going to be mediating this little shindig-"

"Aided by me so Amelia doesn' curse you both stupid if you step a toe out of line" Luna added interrupting Sirius.

"Yes, as I was saying before being interrupted" Sirius poked Luna making the younger witch pout "lets establish some ground rules. To save hostile breakouts we, by we I mean you three, will be post this as a symposium style discusssion."

"That means one person asks a question and the other answers before taking control of the power to ask the question for those less academically inclined" Amelia said with a lazy drawl and look aimed at both members of the Potter couple while Luna snickered knowing she was being slightly less snide than she would've been if the blonde or Sirius wasn't present. "So let me begin this discussion, how long after you thought I was dead did it take to write me out of your mind and have another kid?"

Lily winced internally at the lacksadaiscal but subtly biting tone of Amelias words. "Truth be told you your brother was more of an accident than planned" she said looking to James. "Your dad was still messed up about what happened and had taken some time off work as an Auror to get his head straight. Well it didn't work out that way right off the bat. He dabbled a little too much with alcohol and one thing led to another & we got hammered one night. Next thing we know I'm waking up one morning somewhere in the ball park of maybe two months later puking my guts up. One visit to the Healers later and we got the news about Michael."

Amelia scowled slightly resting her chin on Lunas head as she wrapped her arms around the blonde using her as a pillow. "Two months is a pretty short amount of time all things considered even if he was an alcohol fueled accident" she said as her fingers traced light shapes on her cousins arm.

"We know but magic has strange ways of manifesting in our world. However we do have a defense to the point that we didn't 'write you off' as you put it. Even with Albus telling us the spell failed something hadn't set right in my gut. Your mother was"

"Birthing a child and raising a child to the point that they develop their moral compass with guidance of what is right & wrong are two separate things. One means you know what sex and pregnancy are while the other is what it means to be a parent. You" Amelia gave James a look that shut him up "spent most of your time leading up to the attack complaining and bitching about Wizengamot this or that to the point there were two children in the house that needed to be managed & I was the only one of age at the time to be rightfully called a child."

"Easy Amy" Luna whispered against the skin of Amelias neck feeling the older witches muscles tense up.

Amelia took a deep breath before continuing. "But I digress. The floor is yours for the question."

Lily and James shared a look before the male Potter spoke. "I'll preface this question by saying in that period where I was taken with the drink, that gut feeling nagged relentlessly so once I got my head on straight I took a trip to Gringotts to check the family tree tapestry kept in the Potter Vault. Your picture remained on it for a time before it disapeared. This meant one of two things though the first was next to impossible. The first possibility was that you had actually died but if you had then your picture would have gone still and a death date would have appeared. The second possibility was you hadn't died and were found by another magical family & adopted into it." He paused tapping the desk. "Given what happened and your name, the name **we** gave you, popped out of the Goblet of Fire prompting your participation in the tournament its clear the second option is the truth. The biggest thing we want to know is a simple question though I doubt you will answer it as one question and I doubt you will share certain parts with us. Where have you been, what have we missed? What magic were taught? The things every parent should know about their child like the back of their hand is what we want to know, need to know" he said.

Sirius glanced between his long time friends and godchild seeing her mismatched eyes sharpen slightly.

"Humor my answer than with a prefaced question of my own. If you knew the possibility of my being alive adopted into a new magical family why didn't you use the Parents Rite blood ritual to track me down if the slimmest chance was present in your mind? This fuckin country forsaken by thd Goddess might view blood magic as dark and evil but magic of every branch, blood and soul magics included as esoteric & forgotten as they are, is protected by the Rites of Merlin enacted during thd days of King Arthur and Camelot" Amelia responded not missing a beat. "At least they are in terms of a parent seeking to protect their children in the very real position of mortal peril."

"The Rites of Merlin were pronounced dark practices decades ago by Dumbledore when he first took power over the Wizengamot as the Chief Warlock after bringing down Grindelwald. The entirety of Britain was still recovering and society had been fractured so severely that people acdepted his word as fact when he made case by case by case example of those who used the Rites and supposedly went dark culminating in an imposed automatic Dementors Kiss sentence on those who dared to try using them, a sentence that is upheld to this day" Lily said with a grave tone."I was ready to risk it but your dad wouldn't let me since it was around the same time we were informed I was pregnant with your younger brotber. We had already lost you and he wasn't about to lose me or his second unborn child as well."

Amelia grimaced as her brows furrowed at that bit of information. The Rites of Merlin, truly known by their proper name as The Goddesses Divine Protections but history has a way of being rewritten by men who subjugated women to feed their egos, were far from dark. True as it was that blood and soul magic were steeped in much more involved practices & could be corrupted from their purest forms, they weren't dark or evil by any means whatsoever. Blood magics had their roots in protection of the home before some perverted the practice to harm & even kill others. Soul magics, stlll used today in branches like Shamanism and asian Taoism, were used to bridge gaps between the dead and the living so those spirits who lingered on the mortal plane could move on to the great beyond to continue their journey through the cycle of reincarnation. "I didn't hear a question in their and be specific, open ended questions get one word answers from me ninety jine percent of the time."

"Where did you end up when Dumbledore ruined the spell that was supposed to send you to Sirius for safety?" James asked folding his hajds in front of him.

"France. If your efforts to locate me were as sincere as you've claimed them to be, what lengths have you delved into to find me and how long have these efforts gone on for?" Amelia asked.

"How long is simple answer, we didn't stop. James suspicious feeling aided by what he saw on the tapestry prompted a mad idea. At one time the Ancient and Noble House of Potter was considered in the top five of wealthy magical families in Britain. Between the the costs associated with private investigators sent to scour every magical country in the world, Seers who had a speicific power to track a persons magic signature instead of seeing the future, campaigns to search you down and so much more we don't have half of what your dad originally inherited when he became Lord Potter" Lily said. "Tell us about the people who raised you."

"Person, not people. The woman who raised me, taught me most of what I know about both sides of the world and magic, loved me as her own child & adopted me as her blood heir is dead. She was strict but fair when it came to teaching me before I began to attend The Keep. She died last year and I inherited her mantle as Lady Nightshade" Amelia said closing her green eye leaving the stormy ocean blue one focused on the couple before her. "She taught me the family magic of the Nightshades, basic magic and even mundane subjects like cooking & instilled the same love in me that she herself possessed for music."

Luna squeezed Amelia and kissed the tender flesh to give the soft reassurance she was there. She knew better than most how much it hurt to talk about the loss of a loved one when it was still a scabbing over wound. "Deep breaths" she said in a borderline whisper like voice. "Calm breaths, its only questions and you don't have to tell them more than you want too Amy."

James shot Lily a look out of the corner of his eye with a slightly concerned look. Whoever the blonde witch was it was obvious there wss some form of romantic attraction there and either their daughter didn't reject it because she returned it in some form, meaning she was used to experimenting with other girls or was outright a Witches Witch, or because there was a fondness there that she didn't stop her because it was undecided if she returned the same sentiment. Either way it wouldn't bode well for the future of the House since regardless of their personal feeling British law was clear and there were expectations she would be forced to meet whether their daughter liked it or not. "Our condolensces then. As empty as that may sound she must have been a well enough person to have instilled such strong compass points of loyalty to the people your care about and never say die in the face of danger" he said choosing his words carefully.

"They do sound empty don't they" Amelia mused raising one hand to run slowly through Lunas hair as a breeze fluttered through the room. "She wasn't perfect and she had her flaws as all humans do but I loved her nonetheless. She was my mother, my best friend and confidante before I began my education at The Keep." A small amused smile creeped onto her lips as a soft almost purr-like sound escaped Lunas throat. "Silly blonde" she chided gently as she kissed her cousins forehead lightly. "What do you want from me?"

That question was the question Lily and James had been trying to word without it coming out so bluntly but it seems their only daughter was an expert at being just that. "To come home where you belong and make the family whole again" Lily said.

James remained quiet knowing he would have to break it to their daughter she had little choice in the matter. British law would force as the oldest living child to return but being she was Head of another House in another country that would make a lot issues.

"Not happening" Amelia said waving her hand dismissively before returning it to running through Lunas hair. "I have two mantles of two separate Houses who are more ancient than the Potter bloodline to manage financially, politically and otherwise. On top of that I have a personal quest that has to be found, a quest this loveable little blonde brat is part of, that has to do with the second mantle relating to national safety of a sovereign nation that is not Britain."

"I hate to say it but you have little choice in the matter. Under British law, you as the eldest child of the House have no say in the matter" James said grimly. "That isn't even us saying you have no choice. The papers have been tracking you ever since the champion selection for the tournament. Given the unrest with Voldemort making such bold attempts on Hogwarts during a such high volume event and with Albus being brought to like as the true wretched filth he actually was to light through your own actions manipulating the benefits of being Lady Gryffindor like you did to execute him by hanging after the admission he tried to have you killed by mucking up the spell-"

"Woah woah woah, hold the two way communication mirror there! That was your doing pup?!" Sirius asked with wide eyes. He had heard a Lady Gryffindor had come forward and given Albus' confession executed him but no one really could give a clear description. He had chalked it up to some kind of magic woven into the ring to hide the wearers identity til they were ready to reveal it to the world but he had never thought it would be Amelia. Not in a million years!

"Yeah Padfoot it was me. Now its not me, I gave them the ring and the Gryffindor vault key after Dumbledore did the twitchy dance of choking to death for his crime. I was too lazy to actually go through it myself. Whatever did you find in there per chance? I was most curious but unmotivated to look myself" Amelia said keeping her gaze daring them to call her out in front of Sirius knowing that by exposing her lie they would have to expose themselves to being blind demanding assholes who even despite clearly stating that Dumbledores lie tha the spell failed and she lived, they still blindly followed a man who lied to their faces & did as he wanted them to do.

"Nothing of true value unfortunately. Some money, faded tomes that were barely legible and objects of inconsequential value because of their state despite their former owner & his impact on our country" Lily said after her eyes went hard for a moment realizing just the game of chicken they were being challenged to.

"Pity. I thought Godric Gryffindor would have a much more.. Vast fortune of money, preserved artifacts & tomes and properties. But then again considering the unrest between magicals and muggles at the time it must have been too costly to keep such a treasure" Amelia said with an indifferent shrug like it was all brand new news to her. "Oh and even if your government did try to force me to stay by some archaic law, it would fail. As the Lady of House Nightshade in France and Lady of House Evans in Ireland, both extremely important in their respective sovereign governments magical and muggle, Britain would have a slew of international problems. So unless your Ministry wants to have its government seized by the ICW and broken down to it barest structure, come the time this tournament ends I'm leaving this country a free woman. If I come back is a different matter entirely. I find myself not wanting to burn you both alive like I have in the previous weeks but that may just be because Padfoot and Luna are keeping me from doing so. If it is then you owe them thanks, I've beaten people to the point of broken bones for looking at me the wrong way and the treatment I've gotten from you two so far from the first time you showed your faces to me has been deplorable enough you should be dead from my wrath."

Luna grimaced at that and smacked Amelias arm. "No, bad Amy" she said scolding the older witch. "Mediated talks are bound to be neutral not threaten the other party."

* * *

By the time the mediated talk ended, barely ten minutes after Luna had scolded Amelia, and the white haired witch found herself alone she let her feet carry her where they willed themselves to go. It was this action thay found herself dancing atop the surface of the Black Lake. Her mother Katherine had been cursed with two left feet, something that made her laugh even now considering she had the skilled hands of a careeer concert pianist, but she had been blessed with what her mother like to call 'Swannas Grace'. The first time that had been told to her, barely more than seven and having come out of an almost trance like state from having been listening to her mother play a concert piece of a famous muggle composer named Mozzart, she had been confused. The amount of stories she had been told about mythical figures linked to magic from cultures around the world was staggering but never had she heard a figure, presumably a woman, named Swanna. Her confused look had begun a lesson like every other myth teaching about the Irish water nymph who captivated the hearts of men and women alike unintentionally with her dance.

At the time she hadn't know how to dance properly but her mother had insisted she danced well for not having had instruction and asked if dance was something that she wanted to try. It hadn't been at first and her mother accepted that but said if she did than it was open for future discussion. As weeks and months passed she found that music would sometimes leave her in a similar trance to the first time and careful consideration led to a discussion that preceded her dance lessons. Her instructors had been impressed and shocked considering her admission to never having formal lessons before then when they had said she danced like someone trained to dance since they could walk.

"Penny for your thoughts Snow White?"

Amelia blinked and paused mid spin on her big toe, a dose of wind magic keeping her in place, to see Janette on the shoreline of the lake looking at her. "Just thinking. Had a talk with some people that thought this country held dominion over me." She let the wind magic go to complete her spin before crossing over the waters surface back towards the shore. "Why aren't you with the others? I'm sure some of them are worried about you after, you know."

"Yeah I do and its why I slipped out. I love our brothers and sisters, really I do and I know they love me too, but they're getting really smothering at this point I may just snap at them one of these days. I know I nearly died but smothering and hovering over me is not what you do to someone whose come back from the dead. If you want to keep an eye on the suspicious people around me, fine go ahead. But for the love of our Goddess don't treat me like a porcelain doll. I trained just as hard as everyone else before you made me blood of the House. I trained my ass to the bone and beyond soul weary exhaustion once you made me blood so we could face our task & live. I'm not going to break some damn muggle" Janette said crossing her arms under her chest.

"They're just worried about you Jane." Amelia took a seat on the grass and and leaned back on her hands as her eyes took in the early afternoon sky. "We all worry about each other. As strong as we all are its families job to worry about each other."

"Just like everyones more worried about you Amy" Janette said sitting beside her friend, ex and half-sister. "Some of the girls are worried you're bottling up more of your frustrations those Potters are making you feel than you let out. The guys are just waiting for you to give them the word and they'll gladly deliver the message to the pair to make sure they understand what happens when you mess with one of us" she said placing her palm gently against Amelias cheek as her fingers rubbed small soothing circles at her temples earning a small sigh from the other girl. "Talk to me at least ok? I know you better than most of the others in school, ok fine second best to Sara, and I know this is eating at you. You know I'll never betray your secrets hun."

"Its complicated."

"We're talking about your feelings and frustrations, not how you describe general human contact with people outside everyone in our school Amy."

"So am I Jane." Tilting her head into Janettes palm like a cat would seeking scratches Amelia sighed softly. "You met my mother, the one I consider my mother I mean" she began opening the corresponding eye that alligned with all that remained of the physical proof Katherine had made her the child the deceased witch never had. "You know what she was like. Hell, she loved you and was over the moon when we were together. Now shes gone" the stormy blue eye closed as the green one opened "and the people are responible for me are basically saying 'Hey, we know you have a life somewhere else that isn't here but we want you to come home because you wouldn't exist without us' in not so many words. If thats not enough my sperm donor said that I've been under watch since I was selected as a champion to compete and there was little doubt the British Ministry will try to force me to stay is Goddess forsaken country. If they do that I have to leverage a portion of my two families power within their respective countries to make a big enough fuss the ICW comes down with the hammer on the British Ministry."

"And thats not something you want to do" Janette said as she flicked her thumb lightly across the tip of Amelias nose.

"Political leveraging costs political capital. Political capital is not the easiest thing to cultivate in the current climate within legislative session. I'd rather not waste the capital I've got at my disposal right now on this doomed island" Amelia said with a mock cross look flickering in her eye at having her nose flicked.

"Then don't." Janette leaned over pressing a light peck of a kiss to Amelias lips. She wasn't upset it wasn't returned but the desired effect had been achieved with the mock cross look falling away and the soft warmth that she had loved when they were together filled in. "I will always fight with you and for you Amy. All of our brothers and sister in the school will. If Britain thinks they can try to keep you here for their own self-serving purpose they have to contend with the most politically connected and magically dangerous generation of witches and wizards that Europe has seen since just before the rise of Grindelwald had his run amok" she said as a tiny tug of a smile came to her lips.

"You're an idiot Jane." Even as she said that Amelia returned the smile as she sat up straight and embraced her tightly for a moment burying her nose in the other girls hair breathing her in.

"Maybe I am but you love me nonetheless." Soft tones of adoration and affection colored Janettes voice as her fingers played with the white locks that cascade down Amelias shoulders.

"Not as I once did but yeah, I still love you ya goof." Amelia pulled back and pecked Janettes lips for a moment before cuddling into her side. "Think you can indulge me a little and just sit here with me for a bit?" she asked laying her head on the other girls shoulder. Feeling the arm circle around her shoulders and squeeze gently was all the answer she needed. "Thanks Jane... I know the others worry about me just as much as we worry about them but I'll be fine. As long as I got you amd everyone else to fight for me and at my side I can take the world on with no fear of losing."

"Mm and why is that?" Janette asked as her eyes glowed already knowing the answer she would receive as the sound of a lot of footsteps behind them reached her ear.

"Because even if I fall I know I fall surrounded by my brothers and sisters who love me with nary a shadow of shadow. Because without a doubt in my heart I know my brothers and sisters would avenge me if I fell." Amelias eyes turned slightly at the veritable small army of emerald silk clad young men and women who shared the same warm light within their gaze looking straight at her and Janette. Her gaze lingered on Luna for a moment as she made a motion of her eyes to the blonde before her other side was quickly pressed into and slender arms wrapped around her own. "Above all else, we fight together and win-"

"Or we all die together proceeding to our Goddesses mercies as a family. No one gets left behind to bury the cherished" Sara said voicing the answer the lot of them had memorized to heart.


End file.
